Tear Away the World
by Kabashka
Summary: A shaky event sends Chihiro back to her old home, before she moved to that blue house on the corner. A river again flows free, and her name is being called.
1. Default Chapter

Okies! Hello everyone! I'm happy you clicked on this fic. . So, I'll get right down to the gritty-nitty….er…nitty-gritty. Anyways, I got my Ma to sit down one night and watch Spirited Away (she has an odd disliking for animations) and she actually liked it. Since it had been a while since I saw that loverrrrly movie, I thought, "Hey! I wanna right another fanfic!" So, here I am. The other was titled, "Miss You." (I want to thank those who reviewed. YOU gave me the courage to right this.)

Anyway, I hope the plot is somewhat different. I've read many a different views on what happens after SA, and I realized it would be much funner if Chihiro remembered nothing. No wonder people enjoy this approach . From then on, I tried to fork out plot-wise. Hope it works!!

Disclaimer: I don't own Spirited Away. I don't make money from this. I DO, however, work for a lawyer! HAHAHA!!!!

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The vision came fast approaching, startling Chihiro as she was near sleep. Her eyes shot open as she jerked up quickly, covers pooling around her waist.

Could it have been a vision?

It certainly wasn't a dream, not by her standards. Dreams took a very good while to pour into her head, a deep sleep to release her guard on the physical plain and allow access her mind's deepest recesses. Though dreams tended to be short, few and far between, she knew what they were. When they came to her.

That was not a dream.

If it had been physical, it would have knocked her right out of bed. It hit her quickly, like a blow to the brain, leaving her shaky and disoriented, giving her the feeling that she had jerked herself awake when she had teetered on the brink of light and deep slumber. Was it really a vision? She couldn't call it that, especially not after completely forgetting the image that flashed under her eyelids. That was what it was like. It was as if her eyes were wide open, though it was not her ceiling she should have been seeing.

What was it? What were the colors? The shapes?

They blended too much, lasting too short.

'Take a deep breath,' she told herself, welcoming the comfort as she inhaled the fresh air that flooded easily into her room from an open window. She observed the curtains as they fluttered in the careful breeze, glowing in such a blue, luminescent light that offered a haunting quality of unstill beauty.

It creeped Chihiro out. She wanted to rip off the transparent curtains, or shut the wide-open window, but she remained in the false security her blankets offered.

She didn't often close that window anyway. It was too hot and humid out to stay stifled in false, stale air conditioning. The night breezes were much more preferable.

After the last of her jitters faded away, Chihiro slowly sank back down to her pillow, not bothering to cover her shoulders for fear that the heat would awaken her for the third time that night.

A dreamless sleep invaded her. But between that plain where one was not asleep nor awake, two colors from the image became clear to her.

Green and blue.

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Short prologue, but was it okay? I promise the next chapter will be better. I think.

Leave me a review? That would be so nice 


	2. The News and a Phone Call

Okay! The story begins! No one has read this over for me, though. My sister usually does that, but she's all busy acting useless :o j/king heehee

Anyway, I looked up the word "seismetologist," and came back smarter. They are called "seismologists." Shame on me for not paying attention in Earth Science!

.On to Chapter One!  
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"Search teams are still prowling the mountains in search for stranded or injured campers in the Western side of the mountains. Fortunately, no one was reported hurt, as the hikers and adventure seekers came trudging back, just a little shaken up." 

Chihiro sat at the table, toast hanging from her mouth as she watched the morning news. She kindly left the newspaper untouched for her father when he decided to drag himself out of bed.

"Seismologists located the epicenter in the forested landmarks, just on the other side of the mountain that borders between such forested regions, and one of the cities largest apartment complexes. Luckily for the decade old buildings, no major damage was reported."

Images of her old city were shown on T.V. Though she couldn't spot her house, a nostalgic feeling came over her, allowing her memories of the place and friends she had known before the tender age of ten. She remembered the apartment buildings, or more of the anger she felt when the river that ran beneath it was drained and built over to create those buildings.

Chihiro let out a breath of air as the reporter continued, showing a live clip of a waterfall tumbling into a cove from the mouth of a cave. "The Kohaku river, supposedly having been drained a little over ten years ago, was found as a sitting lake inside the border mountain. The Earthquake seemed to have hit a weak spot on the Mountain face, releasing the natural dam."

Chihiro swallowed her toast, somehow feeling a bit queasy.

"To the delight of environmentalists, the Kohaku river flows once again through the mountainous regions away from the border. More on this story tonig-"

Finding herself smiling as she turned off the T.V., Chihiro stood from her chair, wiping crumbs from her skirt. A sound escaped her throat, a noise along the lines of apparent happiness, like a victory, though not for herself.

The Kohaku River, perhaps.

A river that just last night, broke through and defied human control. It runs free again, like a serpent too powerful to tame. The though made her smile, made her want to board the bus and leap into the crowds of the environmentalists that she was well apart of.

Why not? It was summer vacation after all.

A plan formed. The numbers of old relatives and friends popped into her head. Nostalgia trickled through her, and the thought of familiar territory seemed beckoning. A trip didn't sound to bad really. She'd dig up some phone numbers later.

The phone began ringing when Chihiro placed a foot on the first step of the staircase. She turned right back around to the kitchen and lifted the phone from the wall.

"Hello?"

"Hello? Chihiro? Is that you?"

Chihiro's head cocked to one side, placing the voice. "Minako?"

"Yes! Oh, I haven't talked to you since last year! How've you been?"

Chihiro smiled into the phone, happy an old friend did the calling before she was forced to scrounge for lost numbers. "I've been great. You?"

"Great," there was a pause in the girl's voice. Not a long, hesitant pause, but more like the kind where you have to catch a breath in order to gossip for a few sentences longer. "Seen the news? There's been people just tearing out of the mountains after that earthquake!"

"I've heard. Good thing no one was hurt." Chihiro leaned up against the wall.

"Yeah. Man, I'm amazed that the river is free again. I thought it was gone for good!"

"The Kohaku River…" Why did her stomach seem to churn with anticipation as she said that name? Was it a strange form of longing? "I guess I thought of it as a goner, too."

That somehow felt wrong.

"Anyway," continued Minako through bubbly glee, "I think you should pay us a visit this summer. I mean, I know Ari left our little childhood group, but we can have fun. A sort of reunion, you know?"

A grin curved its way to Chihiro's lips, "I think it's a great idea. Is it all right if I stay with you? I mean, is it okay with your parents?"

"Of course!" There was a laugh, "That's why we have a guest room, silly."

"Thanks, Minako. Funny, I was going to call you tomorrow about the same thing."

"Great minds think alike."

"Uh-huh." Chihiro began to sense the conversation drawing to a close. You could always tell when the other person needed to break off and continue with life. They would speak in only very short responses or sayings.

"Hey, I'll call you later, okay? We can plan this out a little more thoroughly then. I was just checking to see if you would be home for the summer."

"Where else would I be?"

"Well, you know," there was a chuckle from Minako, "a lot of our friends just seem to spend time with boys these days, I figured maybe you had someone?"

"No. I haven't exactly handed out my heart to anyone yet." Chihiro felt strange again when she said that. As if she were lying.

"Well, okay then!" Minako cried happily. "That will be on our agenda when you come over. I'll call you later."

"Okay, Minako. Take care."

"Bye!"

With a gentle click, Chihiro sighed against the wall, forehead smushed against it, giving her a close up of the off-white paint job. She closed her eyes.

Why was her stomach aching and knotting? Why were the colors of green and blue haunting her mind?

Why did such colors remind her of a lost two weeks six years ago?

The phone suddenly rang again, making Chihiro jump and causing an extra batch of butterflies to flutter in her stomach. She rubbed her mistreated ear, having been so close to the phone, and picked it up in the middle of the second ring.

"Hello?"

No answer.

"Hello?" she tried again. She had never quite gotten many prank callers or wrong numbers. Why start now? "Um…I can't hear you, so maybe it's your phone," Chihiro spoke into the phone, feeling odd and a bit stupid. "Try calling back later tonight, okay?"

She hung up.

"Well, a walk would do me good," she said to herself, hoping to calm shaking nerves.

She slipped on a pair of sandals as she headed out the door.

"A walk always does good."

Just as she thought, a calming walk to the park offered comfort to Chihiro, despite the sweltering heat that glared down at her. A can of ice-cold tea was held against her forehead before she popped it open and took a long, cool drink from it.

She meandered along the sidewalks of local stores, not quite close enough to the more heavily populated and dense areas of the city. She looked around, slightly hoping to see a familiar face, a friend from school. Anyone she could talk with to avoid the constant feeling of restlessness that had always settled within her, especially during the dog days of summer. There was no schoolwork to drive the feeling away.

Eventually, her tea ran warm, then empty. At one point, she had spotted a garbage can no less than fifteen feet from her, but she held onto it anyway to recycle it when she got home. Speaking of home, she had taken a rather odd route back.

Then again, maybe she just didn't feel like returning home.

Instead, she found herself walking along an old dirt road into a wooded area. The farther she trekked in her weathered sandals, the denser the canopy of leaves became. She recognized this place. Her father had gotten them lost here six years ago, and ever since, Chihiro had found herself coming back.

She never knew what she continued to go back for.

She always passed the little shrine houses. Farther along, the trail ended. It seemed blocked by a red wall, or rather a red building without a door. She never tried to climb it, as much as the idea had appealed to her, because it seemed as though she would insult the little guardian that sat in front of it.

The statue. The guardian. Right smack in the middle of the dead end.

Every time she found herself coming back to the oval-esq figure, trash accompanied it. Human trash. Cans, bottles, remnants of fast food cartons, just trash. It bothered her and pulled at her, caused her to gather all of it in her pockets and arms, and just walk home with it. She'd throw it all in the recycling bin.

She didn't have too many friends. Plenty, yes, but not too many. A sixteen year old girl who was more concerned about pollutants than fashion was just a bit strange.

It was already late afternoon when she got home, stepping through her front door smelling slightly of old beer. She kicked off her shoes as her mother was coming out of the kitchen.

"Chihiro," Her mother breathed like a sigh of relief, "I'm glad your home. Out with friends?"

"No, no, not really," Chihiro shook her head, "Sorry. I should have told you I'd gone."

Her mother smiled and shrugged, "Well, you're sixteen. It's all right for you to take off once in a while without my permission." She patted her daughter on the back, "You're a big girl. Not old enough to drink beer, though, Hun."

A flush hit Chihiro's face as she waved her arms and shook her head, "No, no, it's really not what you think, it's the-"

"-Cans. Yes, I know dear, don't worry." She laughed when Chihiro exhaled a breath. "I'm… happy that you do what you do. Just be sure to at least change your clothes afterwards."

"Yes, Mom. Thanks."

Her mother scurried back to the kitchen to continue cooking whatever smelled so heavenly while Chihiro ran upstairs to take a shower.

It wasn't long until Chihiro came back down, cleansed and clothed. She greeted her parents and they mumbled back as they watched something that was apparently very interesting on T.V.

Normal.

Her family was so normal, and it made her happy.

So why was she restless?

In the kitchen, a steaming pot of soup awaited her. She took her fill gratefully and sat at the table, idly listening to her parents chatter and the television from the other room. It didn't make her feel lonely, rather, more like a child listening to the strange noises and new words floating about in the haze of circles that formed routine. She blew on the soup, wondering why hot food and hot weather couldn't just coincide. One of many of life's questions.

When was Minako going to call?

Did they have any ice?

How much money did she have for train tickets?

How does a waterfall come from a mountain and not flood the land?

Gold or friendship?

Sapphire or emerald?

The phone rang and jumped on the wall. Chihiro gasped, startled out of such strange thoughts and blinked. Minako.

Leaving her soup alone, she reached the phone, somehow feeling as though she were watching herself. She watched her white hand splay across the phone, muscle and bone underneath flexing as she raised it from the base. Her voice echoed in her own ears.

"Hello?"

No answer.

"Hello?"

She waited, breath held for reasons she did not know. Then, after what seemed like such long, agonizing moments, she heard something. Something that reminded her of melodic music that grew just a bit louder, as if straining to reach her from the hazy mists of a world unknown.

It was the faintest sound of pure, rushing water.

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:::deadpanned::: Oh dear, wonder who THAT could be? :::cough:::

Constructive criticism is welcome with open arms. By the way, does anyone know what Chihiro's old hometown, city, whatever, is called? I'm avoiding any situation where a name is given. I'm a cheapass that way. And I can't seem to indent on Uploading seems more of a pain in the ass these days, eh?

Please review! I'm writing the next chapter!

Kabashka


	3. Am I Going Down the Drain?

Ahhh! Sorry! I've been caught up with a lot of stuff, though I really wanted to get this up! First I was stuck busy making a costume, and there's work, and then I went to Anime Overdose. Then I got sick. Either way, I still should have worked on this, and I didn't. I'm a procrastinator. A HORRIBLE one. But I'll try to get the next chapter up in the quickest jiffy! (that means next week). Hopefully. I wish indents would work.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Spirited Away. Mr. Miyazaki and those other folks at studio Ghibli (sp?) do. Good God I wish I had some cash, though.

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"I like the red one better."

"You always pick red on me, Chihiro. Did you notice that? I always notice that."

Chihiro shrugged. "No. You look nice in pink, too."

Yumi rolled her eyes, perching her fists on the hips that were clad in a soft, form fitting black dress. "If you were any weirder, you'd suggest both at the same time."

"I'm not that tacky." Chihiro scrunched her nose. "What about yellow?"

"I'm not wearing yellow to a dinner date." Yumi turned back around and looked herself over in the dressing room mirrors. The black really did look nice on her. "It's either this or purple."

"Red."

Chihiro didn't mind shopping. She neither loved it nor hated it, but preferred it more for the company of friends. Yumi, being one of those friends with a heightened sense of fashion, often accompanied Chihiro to keep the poor girl from making sad mistakes in color and general do's and don'ts. Chihiro would likewise attempt to choose a good color for her friends, though the suggestions were always well unheeded.

"Black it is, then," Yumi turned again, scrutinizing her bottom agreeably. "Hm."

'_She seems satisfied with that part_.' Chihiro shook her head. Yumi was a beautiful girl. Not too tall, not too short. She was slim, graceful, proportioned. Men were lined up at her door, though she seemed to have eyes for only one, quite honorably. That had been going on for two years.

'_Who starts dating when they're only fourteen, anyway?_' Chihiro had wondered. It had been pure, though. A bonding of souls and not just senseless hormones.

Not once had Chihiro found herself jealous of Yumi.

"Chihiro, are you getting anything?"

"What?" A look up from her sitting place against the dressing room wall told her Yumi had called from behind the stall. "No," she answered, playing with her shoe laces, "I'm running a little broke."

"Really? You can borrow from me if you need it." Generous offer.

"Actually I'm saving," Chihiro confessed as her friend finished in a rustle of clothes. The door swung open as Yumi stepped out, holding her chosen attire and leaving a large, colorful mass behind in her wake.

"Saving for what?" Yumi asked, interested.

"A trip. To my old home," she followed the other girl to the counter, "There was an earthquake there a few days ago, you know."

"So I've heard. When are you going?"

Chihiro smiled briefly at the woman behind the counter who was handing Yumi a receipt. They began walking out of the store. "The day after tomorrow. I'm going to stay a few nights at an old friend's house."

They were strolling along the mall, not really looking for anything anymore."Your parents going, too?" Yumi asked.

"No."

"Score. Maybe you'll find yourself a boyfriend."

Chihiro turned red, stopped, and shuffled her feet for a moment. "That's unlikely. I don't think I'll even be looking."

"Well, you don't have to look," Yumi turned around, Chihiro walking slightly behind her, "As long as they look for you. Anyone with a good eye can spot a sweetie like you, eh?" she laughed good-naturedly. "Just stay on your toes, and –"

There was a loud 'Oomph!' behind Yumi, who caught a glimpse of a flailing arm from her peripheral vision, accompanied with another "Ack!" She turned around quickly to see Chihiro sprawled on the ground, face turning red.

"Oh, for heaven's—" Yumi scratched the back of her head, "Did you trip on your shoe laces?"

Passerby's snickered, some covered their mouths in worry. Chihiro attempted to ignore them as she sat up and rubbed her knees. "It happens," she said quietly. "Sometimes I can't seem to help it." She started tying her laces together, scooting against the wall and out of the way. "I'm clumsy." She murmured and chuckled.

Yumi patted her on the back as she slid down next to her. "Oh, c'mon. It happens to everyone. No use fretting."

"I'm clumsy and stupid and weird."

"You're adorable, smart and silly." Yumi swung a mock punch at her shoulder. "But yeah, you are weird, I'll give you that one."

Smiles broke out, and Chihiro finally laughed out right as they stood back up. A good mood descended, placing itself firmly upon the girl's shoulders as they made their way around.

As their day together was closing to an end, Yumi bought ice cream, a treat before Chihiro's leave to her hometown. It was small, but it was a nice and welcoming moment, seeming more to her than surface looks. Friends were funny that way, she guessed. Every moment was precious, because it could always be ripped from you when you least expect it.

Talk about pessimistic optimism.

After the two parted ways, Chihiro felt another sense of loneliness.

And fear.

Ever since she had gotten that strange phone call, she stopped answering all together. The answering machine had no messages, and that was never different from before because half the people that ever called never left messages anyway.

It didn't matter anymore, though. Chihiro shook off the feeling, calling herself silly for being troubled by it in the first place.

She got her normal mood back that night, after having a nice dinner with her family. Though she was only packing the next day, and leaving the morning after, her parents wanted to spend time with her before they drained themselves with work right before her departure.

"I still don't like the idea of you traveling that whole way by yourself, Chihiro," her mother had said between bites of rice. "Sometimes there are creeps on those trains."

"I'll be okay, really…"

"Take something with you. Like mace, or something," her father insisted. "I've got some around here, somewhere. I'll find it for you before you leave."

"That's really not necessary, Dad…"

Her mother started up again, "Watch out for those boys while you're there."

"Especially the blonde ones." Her father nodded. "They're bad news."

She hadn't said much during dinner through her polite nods and smiles. She enjoyed it, though, because it was one of those times when normalcy was a dominating atmosphere inside of her psyche. A time when she didn't feel confused or out of place for no apparent reason. She smiled as she shrugged on her pajamas, enjoying the comfort of her current mood. Indolently, she picked a piece of rice from her teeth, and then quickly took to the bathroom for her toothbrush.

She yawned loudly when she closed the bathroom door behind her, sleepiness washing over her quite suddenly. She turned on the faucet to wash her hands first, but found the water oddly entrancing. It was so clear the way it pooled as she cupped her hands, and it was even more entrancing the way it never seemed to make it to the drain.

Funny. The water really wasn't making it to the drain.

With almost serpent like motion, the water took a mind of its own, trailing up and circling Chihiro's arm, cooling the skin it touched. She stared, fascinated and frightened, and yet unable to move, afraid to move, as the thin aqua chord swirled and clung to her forearm.

"_I'm here. I'm waiting."_

It was no more than a whisper. Barely a whisper. Barely a sound, but she heard it. It was something, and before she moved her gaze to the mirror (where she was _positive _there was some sort of transparent movement), she closed her eyes. She listened to the intense beat of that drum inside her ribcage, felt it pound hard.

And then she opened her eyes.

Her legs nearly gave out from under her, for not a single thing was out of place. There was no sound in the air other than the water running on her hands, splashing off, and swirling into the drain.

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Yeah, no exact Haku appearance yet. He'll come around soon, though. Promise! 

I have trouble writing long chapters. Actually, I just have problems writing. Sorry:( It's actually rather unfair to you guys, so thanks for reading this. I PROMISE I'll get my act together, and post (at the most) weekly. Here's to hoping :clinks glass: I hate uploading chapters. It's frustrating.

And here's to the reviewers! (BTW, anyone go to AOD in San Francisco? Cosplay?

**Corran Nackatori**: Heehee, my first reviewer! Thanks for liking the phone thing. Though I started suddenly thinking of the Ring while doing that. Creepy…

**Clicke**: Thanks! I shall try to keep it good! Though if things get a little off or just weird, let me know, or make suggestions.

**LadyRainStarDragon**: Thank you! I tried sending reviews, and one of them was to your fic, but my cheap ass pop-up stopper is getting rid of the review windows. I'm trying to turn it off. Anyway, Kohaku Community… hehehe, wouldn't mind having a community of Kohakus, If I do say so myself… (dirty, dirty…!)

**Just another fangirl**: Oh, crap, I LOVE cookies! Thanks!

**Miyazaki's biiotch**: I'm sure you stalk Miyazaki, too. :cringe: Good luck with that!

**Crazianimegirl**: I guess I didn't update very soon, did I? Sorry. Next chapter next week! I swear! If it's not up by next week, I'll double the length!

**KatzEye**: Thanks  Though I'm sure I'll need criticism. Or already do.

**Lost-and-Lonely-Pheonix**: Yeah…I wanna know what happens, too! J/king…at least, I think I know what happens O.o

**Paws**: Yeah, the blue is the water, I guess. It just seemed fitting at the time. :shrug: And questions are good. When I can answer them.:) Heehee. Maybe I should just make up a damn name, or avoid saying the name completely? Either way, it almost seems hokie. Oh well.

Kabashka


	4. Parental Guidance: Keep Your Windows Clo...

Geez, It's already been two weeks? Ugh, so much for updating weekly… I don't know how some authors do it! Anyway, I was so very happy to receive as many reviews as I did, so I parked myself down and typed away. Since I didn't want to post by how many words were in a chapter, I got a little carried away in waiting for certain events instead. That takes a LONG time. So here's half of what I've gotten done. .

**Disclaimer: **Spirited Away is not mine. I don't own it, nor do I own the world. Yet.

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Chihiro was brushing furiously at her teeth for the third time that night. Foam built up and dripped from where the toothbrush stuck out from the pasty cloud on her face. 

Her mother watched her in concern.

"Okay, Chihiro," Her father's voice came in as he opened the door to enter he and his wife's room. He leaned against the doorway of the adjoining bathroom and offered a shrug. "I didn't see any giant spiders or any other bug."

Chihiro spat into the sink. "Maybe it was a rat that I saw." Her voice was dull.

"You can't confuse a rat with a spider."

Chihiro rinsed her mouth and shook her brush. "I don't care!" She cried as her father and mother exchanged glances. "I'm not going back in there. Nuh-huh. No way. I'm using _this _bathroom, okay? It'll be like the old days, in the old house! You know, when we all used to share one!"

"Honey," her mother pinched the bridge of her nose, "any sixteen year old girl would be ecstatic to have her own bathroom. What has gotten into you? We don't have rats. We don't have bugs." She sighed.

"Maybe we have ghosts?" her father offered, jokingly.

Chihiro did not find it funny. The pallor her face became gave it away easily. "Wha-what?"

"I was kidding, Dear."

"Chihiro, what is wrong?"

She looked at both of her parents, taking in their expectant gazes. Should she tell them what she saw? What she heard? What she _felt_?

Confusion.

Anxiety.

Familiarity.

Something strange was emerging from the mists of memory. Something that had a careful connection to a time that she had lost, a two-week disappearance of memory and self, which had caught her parents as well. An entity lived somewhere in the depths of those lost memories, and she wanted to call them forth, to unveil this entity.

The ten year old inside of her screamed. No sound was heard.

How could _anyone _in their right mind explain something as crazy as water crawling up their arm, accompanied by voices and creepy phone calls? How could anyone in their sane mind actually think they had even seen such a thing?

Her mind told her it was nothing. She had been sleepwalking. Daydreaming, even. Anything to keep the heart from saying otherwise.

"Chihiro?"

"Nothing!" She snapped back to attention with sudden false enthusiasm. "Nothing is wrong! I'm just tired and anxious, that's all. Maybe I got a little freaked by that scary movie I saw the other day, huh?"

Her parents exchanged glances, looking hardly convinced.

"I think I'll just go to bed, okay?" Chihiro edged past her parents and toward the door.

"Chihiro," her father called before she left. She turned around and waited for him to speak. He studied her for a moment, then sighed, "We'll see you tomorrow when we get home from work, and we'll all have dinner. Okay?"

That wasn't what he was going to say. "Okay." She left the room.

"She's been acting a lot stranger than usual." Chihiro's father said worriedly, "It's almost foreboding, don't you think?"

"I suppose. But, you know, I think maybe your instincts have sharpened a bit since we lost track of that two weeks."

"Oh, honey, don't bring _that_ up…"

Chihiro trudged her way up the stairs and down the hall to her room. On the way, she passed the bathroom (which she scurried along, held breath and closed eyes), until she made it to her room, where she promptly slammed her door shut. Ghosts weren't allowed where they were not invited, right?

Oh. No, wait. Those were vampires.

She flopped onto her bed and stuffed her face in a pillow, shouting in a muffled voice, "Oh, _God_, I feel like I'm in the beginning of a _horror story!_"

Oddly enough, the thought made her chuckle. The chuckling sounded rather sinister to her own ears, which then made her think of seeing a psychologist. She felt like visiting one at the moment. She _needed _one at the moment.

Instead, she decided she would try and sleep. Something she would find that could come easier than expected.

So, eventually, her thoughts grew weary, her muscles relaxing. Her eyes closed, and as her breathing steadied, she saw green and blue again. Two colors that invaded her mind, shifted through her memories, and yet they could not pull out the grounded period of two weeks forgotten. They were well buried under six years--quite a lot of time to dig up.

But what was six years to a river?

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"You call this packing?" Yumi nudged the duffel bag sitting on her friend's bed.

There was a loud groan from the other girl as she closed her dresser drawer and crumpled down to the mess of laundry, "So I don't pack new clothes for every single day. Who cares? I can be in style…I guess…"

"Two shirts, a skirt, and a pair of pants. Yes, Chihiro, you're _styling._"

Chihiro rolled her eyes and yawned. Her room was a mess; clothes strewn about (she really didn't like any of them), dust floating around thickly in the sunlight that poured from her window (which she sort of thought was pretty), bed covers falling from the bed (too hot with those things anyway), and a duffel bag with half of its contents splayed out for Yumi and her boyfriend, Izuka, to see (her boyfriend was very quiet).

"I'll pick something up while I'm there. I just… hate packing."

"You know," Izuka said from his corner of the room, "I had a friend who traveled Europe with nothing but two shirts and a pair of pants."

"I'm sure he did wonderfully with the ladies." Yumi muttered and then turned back to Chihiro. "Antiperspirant?"

"Check."

"Hairbrush?"

"Check."

"Toothbrush?"

"A little pocket one. I always forget mine in the morning when I go somewhere."

"Cute. Clean undies?"

"Yumi!" Izuka sputtered, "There's a _guy _in the room!"

"Oh, really? Where?" She looked around, playing dumb as Chihiro shook her head and giggled. Izuka's ego visibly deflated as he puffed out a breath of air in exasperation.

It wasn't until later when Chihiro had a decently bulging duffel bag, many things in it she hardly even knew about. She left it sitting in a pile of laundry in her room as she and her two friends watched TV downstairs, a box fan blowing in their direction. Yumi had sat out of target range, bent on writing a detailed list of "how to pick up guys" in her notebook. Izuka kindly remarked more than once that some of her techniques only received pity points for trying. A notebook to his head would follow.

It wasn't until even later that Chihiro's mother came home from work, kicking her shoes off at the door and muttering softly about wanting a shower. Chihiro's father followed suit an hour later.

Yumi and Izuka were invited to stay for dinner by Chihiro's parents, though they politely declined. They hung around watching terrible soap operas sponging in a fill of god-awful scenarios that were far from plausible, until the smell of dinner wafted into the room. They took that as their cue to leave.

Chihiro saw them to the door, bade them farewell, and they wished her a safe trip.

It wasn't long before Chihiro was called into the kitchen for dinner. She wasn't used to it really, they rarely ate together.

"You guys act as though I'm never coming home." Chihiro said, sitting down and piling rice on to her plate.

"You're only sixteen, Chihiro," Her mother stated. "It's scary to think of our little girl traveling a long way by herself."

"It's only two and a half hours away by train," she argued quietly. "And I have maps in case I _do _get lost at the wrong stop, though I'm sure that won't happen."

"I think your mother is talking about someone nabbing you and taking off," her father said. "By the way, I threw pepper spray in your room, so be sure to keep it on you. And if any sons of bitches dare try _anything_, I want you to use it, and then kick them in the—"

"Dad! I get it, I get it!"

"Don't talk to strangers."

"I'm not six…" Chihiro sunk in her chair.

"Hold your bags close to you."

"Be on your guard."

Chihiro shoved a giant carrot in her mouth and mumbled, "I fow, I fow."

"And don't talk with your mouth full." Chihiro's mother scolded lightly as her father laughed. "Have some etiquette. You don't want to embarrass Minako _or _her parents."

Chihiro swallowed. "I know, I know."

Dinner came to a close not long after, and Chihiro helped in cleaning and storing away the dishes. She discussed with her parents what train she would be taking, what time she would be leaving, and who would be at the station to pick her up. They even spoke with Minako's parents on the phone.

She felt very much like a child.

But she appreciated the concern.

Sleep time drew closer, so Chihiro's parents acknowledged her readiness and sense of self-reliance. The two left for bed in order to get up early for work the next morning. They still found it strange, however, when Chihiro came into their room and used their bathroom. They said nothing of the matter, feigning sleep.

Chihiro's room was in the same state as she had left it when she came ambling back in. Clothes were strewn carelessly, duffel bag in a pile of laundry, bed sheets hanging off the side of the bed, and the window was wide open.

She changed into her nightclothes after fishing around on the floor for them. Afterwards, she flopped on the bed and did what she normally did when she was by herself.

She stared at her ceiling and thought.

She thought about the Kohaku River.

She thought about the weird phone call that _sounded _like a river.

She thought about the strange and utter illusion of a coiling water serpent at her wrist.

The earthquake happened in the middle of the night. The same night she had awoken from a vision of green and blue. Was that the same time the mountain broke?

Chihiro wasn't stupid. Things were obviously connected to that river, and she was going to be a hell of a lot closer to it. The feelings inside her told her that her memories were connected to that river, so she would be that much closer in discovering those as well.

She couldn't wave things off anymore. She couldn't ignore or pretend things never happened. That voice, that familiar whispering voice, would call her again. If only she knew who it was.

Was it a spirit…rather than a ghost?

Sleep would not come easily this time, for a strange sort of fear created an icy ball that sat in her stomach.

She could hear wind chimes outside. Strange, there had been no wind at all.

Suddenly, there was a howling and hissing between the trees barely two seconds before a huge gust of wind pushed through her window, causing the curtains to flap madly away from the curtain-rod. Chihiro sat up instantly alarmed, seeing her things blown around as if possessed. Immediately, she rushed to the window and slammed it closed, the sound dying with it.

_What the hell was that?_ She thought, breathing quickly and staring outside at the sky. _Another weird event because of that damned river? _

She had enough.

Braving the wind, Chihiro lifted the glass up again, expecting the air to bite her in the face, but there was nothing. No wind. Everything was as silent, hot, and humid as before.

That pissed her off.

Narrowing her eyes, Chihiro stuck her head out the window. "Stop playing these games with me!" she shouted into the night. "Whoever you are, just leave me alone or show yourself!"

She backed up a little, gaze still flickering over the expanse of land below-- the road on the side of the hill that led to the forest, the rest of the town at the bottom of the hill, where the trees seemed to creep in on the sides. The land was dark, save for the streetlights and small buildings where people worked graveyard shifts. Chihiro let out a breath, seeing nothing stir. _I'm going crazy._

Leaning forward again "**_Coward!_**" She screamed.

The only voice that came back was the distant, angry yelling of someone in the house on the left, who was apparently trying to sleep. Chihiro grumbled, closing the window again.

"Coward," she muttered, going back to her bed. She briefly wondered if her parents had heard her shouting.

Shy laid her head on the pillow, body on its side, facing the night, watching the curtains.

Her features still marred by a frown.

She fell asleep like that, having vented at least a fraction of her confusion and fear, though the ice in her stomach failed to melt.

She fell into a dream.

She could never remember her dreams.

* * *

"Chihiro, dear, we're going to work."

_Mom._

"Be safe. We'll see you when you get home."

_Dad._

"The train leaves at ten o' clock, so you should get up in a couple of hours."

_What time is it?_

"It's awfully early, Hun. I don't think she even realizes we're talking to her."

_I can hear you. I can hear you. The other half of me is just playing on the banks of a river, that's all._

"Let's leave a note for her or something. She looks too peaceful right now."

_You would be peaceful, too, if you were playing in the river with a dragon._

"Alright. Let's go. Goodbye, Chihiro."

_Goodbye, Dad._

"Bye bye, Hun. See you soon."

_Goodbye, Mom._

_I love you both. _

* * *

Don't hit me. I know Haku isn't here yet, but he will be. Very, very soon. I didn't expect this to start so slowly, but I can't just throw him in there with no good explanation, right? He'd kick my ass for using him as a plot tool:sigh: At least Chihiro can make connections.

**LadyRainStarDragon: **(You are a very nice person). Supernatural weirdness in an ordinary life… it makes me jealous of Chihiro and those other girls that get to go to some kickass place. Those chicks like Chihiro, Hitomi, Miaka, and Noriko. Oooh! Is it normal to get jealous of fictional characters:sweatdrops: Thanks for liking the elemental thing. I thought it was a bit weird, but it was fun to write.

**Sakurablossomskxk:** I can't wait for Haku to show up to Chihiro, either. Heehee! Man, I giggle thinking about it! Thank you so much for taking the time to read and review! .

**Lady-Seoh-Pheonix:** I can't say I had NO idea where this was going. I just had too many. After getting your review, I thought, "Well, crap, I really should sort everything out. I wouldn't want this to lead to some dead end like one of those 'choose your own adventure novels.'" So I got a notebook, and I wrote down a whole buncha' stuff. Thanks for opening my eyes on that! I like the lyrics on your bio page, by the way.

**Starfire11605:** I love writing this! It's fun! Thank you so much for liking it, and reviewing:Grins:

**kris:** You have no idea how creeped out I started to get, sittin' here at midnight. I thought about just re-doing the whole damn thing, to try and not make it so…well, creepy! But I thought, "hey, what the hell. Any weird stuff that would happen in regular life would be creepy, y'know?" So…yeah. Maybe Chihiro will wring Haku out like a sponge for doing that to her! I know I would…

**i kissed hiei: **Thanks! I'm happy you like it, and I shall do my best!

**Black Hands:** I'm happy you think it's good. I'll really try to keep it that way. And I'll REALLY try to remember to update! Thanks so much .

**Miss Tigerlily:** :waves: Hi Jenny. Well, I can say that there will be action, adventure, drama, fluff and an antagonist! It's all planned out, so I'm rearin' to go! It's just sort of in the evolving stage…haha…ha….

**Katzeye:** Really? Great description? Ya think so? Heehee! Thank you! I'll try and keep it up!


	5. Feelings of the Kohaku River

Alrighty! This one is a long one! Alas, things of importance happens, and I can really get the story rollin! Would I be a better writer if I weren't trying to be so attentive to detail? Or would that make me worse? Whatever—If it gets words on the page, I'm a happy gal!

**Disclaimer:** Had I the Death Star, _then_ I could own Spirited Away. As well as the rest of the galaxy. But I don't. _Yet.

* * *

_

Chihiro boarded the train, mentally rechecking all she needed to take with her. As she seated herself by a window, she realized it was completely pointless—it wasn't as though she could get off, run home, grab what she forgot, and hope the train was waiting for her.

She twisted the upper half of her body in order to rest her forehead against the glass, knowing that her position would become uncomfortable quickly. She tucked in on herself, pulling her knees up on the seat, arms drawing around them, and chin resting atop of those, while her forehead remained smashed against the window. The scenery began to move, and she watched all of the people standing on the platform, some waving to departing loved ones, others waving to returning ones.

The train picked up speed.

The route stretched northward, a part of that route ran alongside the coast of Japan, and then it veered back inland, toward the mountains, toward Chihiro's birthplace. After a while, the many sights that zoomed past the window became mundane, and Chihiro would more than once find herself drifting into the realm of sleep, much like the old woman in the seat next to her. It wasn't until she woke up from a light doze that she saw the ocean outside of her window.

_Riding in a train and gazing out at the vastness of the blue waters._

Why did she feel that she had done this before? She was on a train quiet frequently, and the ocean was certainly no rarity. So then why did the feeling of déjà vu just overwhelm her?

"Wouldn't that be something, if the ocean could just flood the earth?" A deep and masculine voice permeated Chihiro's thoughts. She turned to see a man standing, leaning just slightly bent over in order to look out her window. It seemed he was talking to her.

He was impossibly handsome and aged maybe in his mid twenties. Tall, dark haired, dressed in a suave black dress suit, and a face that was a bit long, though not long enough to distract one from his rather enchanting eyes that had, at some point, settled on Chihiro. They were a startling shade of blue… or were they purple? She couldn't tell; they seemed to change.

"May I sit?" He asked elegantly, gesturing with the same grace towards the vacant seat across from her. She nodded, mutely, not quite sure of this man, or what vibe he sprang off on her as he moved past the old woman who stirred not once, and sat.

The fine hairs on her neck stood up, unnoticed.

"A Great Flood would be astonishing, wouldn't it? Just like in the Bible," he continued soundly, staring out. "Or perhaps a Great Fire."

"Are you with the church or something?" Chihiro asked, confused and questioning the man's mental state.

He flashed her a grin. "No. Forgive my rudeness." His eyes flickered with color. "You looked as though you were imagining something of that magnitude. You appeared quite lost in thought."

_What a silly reason to talk to a complete stranger!_ Chihiro thought, cocking her head at him. She felt obligated, for some reason, to continue conversation. "Do you read the Bible or something?" She asked.

"Yes," he said, though plainly. "I've read many of them, of many religions. I find them strange." The wolfish grin came back to him quickly, "What about you? Have you any belief?"

She shrugged, "Shinto if anything, I guess."

He leaned in a bit, eyes wide in interest. Whether it was false or not, Chihiro couldn't tell. "Really? Though you sound unsure. Why is that?"

"I don't know," she looked at him strangely. Eighty percent of Japan's population either follows Buddhism or Shinto, so what was with the look of surprise? Why was she even talking to him? "I don't exactly pray to deities or go to shrines or anything," she admitted, "but… I guess I always just feel like there's something more to things, that maybe there really are spirits in everything. I get _mad_ when I see trash lying around."

"I see."

"But then I realize that maybe I'm just acting silly."

"Silly?"

"Yeah," She shrugged, looking out at the ocean again. "I mean there aren't really a lot of people my age who seriously think like that. Not in this day and age, right? My family never believed in anything. So I try not to think about it, but…" She turned back to find him staring at her rather intently. It was unsettling, and she took a moment of thought to remember that a small can of pepper spray was in her pocket. "Uh…"

He seemed to recognize her discomfort, for he broke out with a disarming smile. "I'm sorry. I was just wondering how a girl so young and pretty could be so…in tune with the earth. It's quite refreshing to know, really."

Taken aback, Chihiro's face flushed a nice shade of pink as she turned back to the window to hide the embarrassment. She saw him from the corner of her eye as he stood up, walking a few steps away from her already limited vision. She was sure he was leaving, and she was a bit grateful for that, until his footfalls fell short.

"…But you're still human…" He said in a voice so low that Chihiro had to strain her ears to hear him.

The comment startled her, and she found herself whirling around to face him and ask what in the world he was talking about, had he still been standing there when she turned. He seemed to have vanished. Now _that_ was unexpected.

People don't just _vanish_.

No matter what kinds of crazy illusions she may have been seeing before, Chihiro was _not_ going to accept this. The train wasn't too crowded, though there were people standing. Any of them could have taken the seat across from her, but no one seemed to pay attention. They just read their books or talked to one another, never noticing Chihiro's odd plight.

Perhaps he disappeared into the small crowd. Very, very quickly.

Yes, she would have to settle with that hasty explanation.

The train turned back into the land, toward the mountains, and Chihiro's thoughts eventually turned to things less out of the ordinary. Such as what she would do when she got to Minako's house. She hadn't seen the girl in person for ages, though they kept contact on the phone and mail well enough.

Chihiro would probably meet all of Minako's friends, which she was sure was a lot. They would all most likely hang out in a giant group, talking of senseless things and watching senseless movies. That seemed normal. Then there was also the possibility of Minako taking Chihiro out on the town and trying to 'hook her up' with a nice, attractive young man whom she would have absolutely no interest in. If she did, she would most likely have trouble maintaining a long distance relationship.

Silently, Chihiro unfurled her legs and left her duffel bag in her lap. She rested her arms over it, idly playing with the straps. After a while though, she grew sleepy and bored, so she nodded off again, only to awaken minutes before the train slowed to a stop. The intercom voice rang clear, and she groggily pulled herself to her feet, getting bumped around and swept away by the flood of people attempting to get out all at once.

Chihiro, having made it safely out, found herself wandering around the station until she found the exit. Waiting there was Minako, reading a newspaper as she blew an impressive bubble with the gum in her mouth.

"Read any good articles?" Chihiro asked, standing in front of her.

"Eh." Minako shrugged, not really offering attention. "Oh!" She looked up, realizing just who had spoken. "Chihiro! About damn time you got here! Oh man, I thought you'd never show up."

"It's nice to see you, too."

Minako grinned at her before she jumped up and pulled Chihiro in a tight hug. "Oh, you know I'm happy to see you! C'mon, let's get out of here. I've been waiting my buns off forever."

Chihiro smiled, happy that her friend was in good spirits. Minako rolled up the paper she had been reading, and they took off out of the station, into sunlight.

They were walking down a long street, licking ice cream cones when they felt the joy of conversation again.

"This town has changed a lot in the last ten years," Minako said, sounding neither sad nor happy. "It's a city now. If the population keeps this up, our whole island just might sink!"

"And it all started with those apartments," Chihiro added. "I remember when I'd go to the store with Mom and Dad, and I'd see the river being drained. I didn't know what to think."

"Dummy. You cried!"

"I did?"

"Yeah. I didn't know why though. You almost drowned in that river."

Chihiro shrugged, "Must've been my own fault. Well, at least it's back."

They waited at a cross walk, though the light didn't pay much heed in giving them a little more time, so they scurried across to the park on the other side. There weren't many children, so Chihiro and Minako sat in the swings, finishing off their ice cream.

They talked about a lot of things. Friends from early grade school, the fads at the time, sleepovers they used to have, and changes since. They played on the monkey bars and built sand castles, just as they used to when they were young, though they seemed to have less energy on the bars, and more detail on the castles. They made sand angels, which wasn't a very good idea, they figured a little too late as they shook sand out of their hair. They played until the sun began to set, and they were once again sitting serenely on the swings.

"You know, I find it strange," Chihiro started, looking at the fading sun as it burrowed into the mountains.

"Hmm?"

"A river doesn't just magically show up."

Minako glanced at her. "What do you mean?"

"When water just busts right out of a cavern, it doesn't turn into a river. Wouldn't it become runoff?"

Minako was silent for a moment, and then said, "You know, there's a bunch of cults pondering that same thing. A bunch of authorities had to drag them out of the mountains cause they were doing crazy stuff."

"Really?" Chihiro pushed into a light swing. "What were they doing?"

"I don't know, really. Probably voodoo or sacrifices or something."

Chihiro shuddered.

"But some local Shintoists went up there and started making little shrines for the river. They took offerings and stuff, cause they think it's pissed about the apartments."

"Little shrines? Like statues?"

"Yeah, why?"

Chihiro thought about that red building with no entrance. The one guarded by a statue. "Nothing. I just see a lot of small shrines like that back home. There's an old path that goes right to a dead end, and the sides of the road are covered with little stone houses."

Minako smiled. "Minzoku Shinto? The people in your town must really believe in spirits, huh?"

"Not the people I go to school with, I don't think they really care. The shrines are pretty old."

"Oh. Well, still, it must be nice to see."

"Yeah…it is."

There was a pervading silence that lasted in the golden sunset, and the comfort was welcome. Not only was it welcome for the quiet, but for the cooling summer night that chased away the immense heat. There was still some light left when Chihiro and Minako decided it was about time to head off. The walk wasn't long, Minako's house was right down the street from the park, just as it had been six years ago.

It had a cute gate surrounding the front, meager little lawn. The mailbox was a bit dirty, though still covered with childish, silly paintings Minako, Chihiro, and Ari had done on it, long ago. The gate still squeaked loudly when opened, and the meow of a cat sounded gently as the furry little creature slept on the stone walkway, which was still warmed by the sun. Chihiro and Minako went to the front door, and Minako swung it open.

"Welcome back to my humble abode!" She said loudly, slamming the door closed after Chihiro entered, kicking her shoes off. The warm smell of dinner drifted to her nose as she heard the sound of Minako's father cooking in the kitchen.

He was a chef. Chihiro had always loved eating at Minako's house.

She smiled at the woman walking up behind Minako, who promptly thwacked the said girl on the back of the head. Minako whirled around, rubbing a hand through her hair. "Ouch, Mom! What was that for?"

"Where the hell have you been?" Minako's mother demanded, fisted hands resting on her hips. "I was getting worried, thinking you two girls would be out there all night!"

"We were just in the park, Mom. No worries. See? We're in one piece." Minako grinned.

"It's good to see you again, Mrs. Okani." Chihiro waved.

Mrs. Okani smiled widely, "Yes, it's nice to see you, too. You've grown so much!" She looked at her daughter, "Well? Where are your manners? Show Chihiro the guest room."

Mumbling, Minako did as she was told, leading Chihiro up the stairs to her room where they threw in her bag. They flew back downstairs where the smell of gyoza drifted trough the air. When the food was done, they all sat down in the kitchen where Mr. Okani piled dumplings on their plates.

"It smells delicious!" Chihiro's mouth watered.

Mr. Okani sat down and picked up his chopsticks, "Ah, thank you Chihiro. It's about time someone in this house appreciates my efforts!"

"If we didn't like it, we wouldn't eat it." Minako said, swallowing a mouthful.

"Now, there's a fine line between 'appreciate' and 'like'!" He scoffed then shook his head. "Honestly, the family I slave away at home for…"

* * *

"You know, you didn't really bring much," Minako said, sitting on the bed and picking through Chihiro's bags.

Chihiro sat on top of some boxes beside the window, staring out. The house was in a neighborhood that was quite old, leaving them close to the outskirts of the city, where the trees grew thick and ventured into the mountains. She looked toward them, wondering which mountain had trembled enough to let loose a river.

"Are you okay?"

"Huh?" Chihiro glanced away from the window. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"You're acting funny. What's up?"

"Nothing."

"Really?" She raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"Let's go camping," Chihiro said, suddenly, "By the Kohaku River."

Minako stared at her, strangely. "Ah…why?"

"I want to see the river?"

"Chihiro," Minako scratched the back of her head, a funny look in her squinted eyes, "I didn't think you were here so that we could go camping. That takes planning and reservations and stuff. We'd have to buy food, pack, bug my Mom and Dad just to let me go, let alone beg for money…"

"Alright, alright, I get it," Chihiro said, not quite sounding dejected, surprisingly to herself.

"We can take a little day trip sometime, though. One of those new hybrid buses have been making stops to the mountain, but we'd have to walk the rest of the way to the river."

Chihiro thought about it for less than a second. She nodded enthusiastically. "Okay. That sounds like fun!"

Minako shrugged. "I'm happy the river is running again, but I'm really not much of a nature person."

There was a somewhat apologetic tone in her voice when she said that, though no aspect of it told that she would change the feeling. Chihiro didn't mind, so long as she refrained from damaging the environment, because there was a certain content feeling in knowing it was an accepted difference, despite the usual strange alienation she felt around others at home.

The small bed creaked quietly when Minako slid off and stretched. "What a day of childish activities!" she said through a yawn. "I think I'll hit the sac if that's okay with you."

Chihiro stood up from her seat on the boxes. "That's fine. I've been waiting for you to leave so I could get some sleep."

"Whatever," Minako stuck out her tongue then laughed "'Night, Chihiro. And sorry about the boxes…there's no where else to store them…"

"It's okay. Goodnight, Minako. Thanks for letting me stay here."

Her friend grinned brightly before leaving the room, closing the door gently behind her. Chihiro went to the bed and collapsed on it, taking a deep breath as she looked up at the ceiling, much like she usually did at home. Only this one was a light brown in color, some parts greatly darker than others. It was a rather bad paint job, for whatever irrelevancy it was worth.

Lazily, Chihiro shoved her duffel bag off the bed, not really caring what spilled out of it. She reached over to the lamp beside the bed and turned it off.

The room became shrouded in midnight blue darkness. It appeared hauntingly cold, belying the heat that permeated the room. Uncomfortable lying on her back, Chihiro shifted her position on her side, facing the window. For a moment, she thought she had seen a shadow fly by.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Her thoughts returned to green and blue.

Why had nothing out of the ordinary happened? The man on the train was odd, his disappearance even more puzzling, but he didn't stick around her. He didn't act as though he had tried to contact her in any way, previously. Perhaps the happenings really were ghosts, with no connection whatsoever to the Kohaku River.

Chihiro closed her eyes and lay quietly, until she felt another shadow pass by the window, into the room, over her eyelids. She snapped them open, sitting bolt upright. _Unmistakable._

A little hesitant, Chihiro got up from the bed, rushing to the window and stumbling over her discarded duffel bag. She cursed, but made it on her feet to the glass and looked out into the sky. She saw nothing but the stars. There was nothing that could make a shadow, no trees, no birds, no nothing. Her throat went dry then.

"Water. I just need some water." She told herself quietly.

Leaving the room in a quicker than normal pace, Chihiro felt herself tense up in the dark hallway, even more so when she accidentally stepped on the squeaky floor boards she had been avoiding. The house was pretty much dead, she had no desire to wake anyone.

The kitchen still lingered with the light smell of gyoza and rice when Chihiro entered. She quickly filled a glass with tap water at the sink and gulped it down, though awkwardly as water seeped down the sides of her mouth. She wiped it away, taking a breath. Eventually, she heard the distinguished sounds of Minako's cat meowing loudly at the front door. She ignored it, until it sounded more as though the poor cat was crying for some sort of attention.

Chihiro was a sucker for kitties, really, though she sort of considered herself as more of a dog person.

Setting her glass down on the counter, Chihiro went to let the cat in. She unlocked the door, opening a crack to let the kitty slip inside, but no kitty came through. Opening the door wider, she looked outside as the cat sat down in front of the door. Irritated, Chihiro stepped outside to pick up the stubborn feline and bring her inside, but the cat was skittish around strangers, opting instead to run to the front gate, looking back to watch Chihiro.

She should have left the cat. She should have just closed the door and gone to bed, but she didn't, and with no reason as to why not. The only reason she had given to herself was that the cat would just come back and scratch at the door until someone woke up to let her in. There was a part in Chihiro that told her that wasn't why she refused to close and lock the door.

She stepped out of the house, slowly, as not to make sudden moves. The cat watched her languidly, as if to show superiority. "C'mere, kitty, kitty, kitty…" Chihiro tried to coax in a high-pitched voice. The cat ignored her until she came too close. When Chihiro came within arm's length, the tabby jumped up and over the fence, running into a nearby bush.

"Oh, no, kitty…!" Chihiro stood up, opening the fence and running out. She breathed a sigh of exasperation, stopping when she finally realized the futility in catching an animal that was far faster than she. She sighed, turning around to go back into the house.

A young man, however, seemed to block her path.

Chihiro gasped, covering her mouth and backing up quickly. He had stood no more than five feet from her, eyes the shade of a green so brilliant, even in the moonlight, they could put a treasure trove of jade and emeralds to utter shame.

_Green and blue._

He stared at her, not in a way that was at all lecherous, but in a way of surprise, wonderment, and a strange sort of longing and finding.

He stepped toward her. "Chihiro…" he whispered, fixated on her paralyzed form.

"Ah…uh…" She couldn't speak. Couldn't ask him how he knew her name. She wanted to scream for help, but no sound came from a throat that was suddenly dry again. She took another step back, alarmed when he took another step closer, arms reaching out, just barely, as a hint of a smile played upon his lips.

"I kept my promise, Chihiro," he said in a voice finally above whispering. It was deep, soft, and smooth. "I finally came back, I've found my home. I… had been waiting and…" he stopped, eyes gazing over all of her curiously.

Who was he? What promise? How did her know her name?

He was so strange.

His clothes were so traditional and yet…odd. A white haori fitted him, embroidered with delicate waves, as far as she could tell in the night. He was clad in long blue pants, and there were flowing strips of fabric that fell from a sash stretched taut around his slim waist. He had an aura, one that seemed to glow, somehow. It was almost frightening.

His gaze was still hooked upon her, though his smile disappeared and his curious eyes turned into ones of…fear? He swallowed. "You…remember me, don't you? I've been trying to call out to you, and you came, so you must… right?"

Chihiro shook her head, slowly, disbelieving. She found her voice then and spoke, despite the cracks, "I don't know who you are."

He didn't move, but his breathing quickened for but a moment, and his eyes came across as showing panic. "You do—you have to, Chihiro."

"I don't," she shook her head again.

"It's me-- _Haku. **Kohaku**_," he braved coming closer, hands lifting out to her, "You remembered my name then. How can you forget it now?"

Suddenly, the pieces of her puzzle began to fall into place, but only so very few. She could not believe her eyes or her ears, for she was afraid to accept him as the entity that had been pulling at the strings of her memory.

_But_…_ green and blue._

He was far too ethereal to pass off as 'normal.' She couldn't deny it.

"Please remember," his fingers nearly brushed her forehead, had she not backed away in time.

"Don't," she moved away, startled, "don't come near me. Don't touch me."

She had not meant to sound cruel, but he appeared completely crestfallen at her words as his arms dropped to his sides. "You really don't remember me. You don't remember anything—about the bathhouse, your parents, the spirits…?"

Chihiro was confused, but the more he spoke, the more she felt as though she _should_ know him. "…Spirits? My parents?" her eyes widened. He knew. He _knew!_ "When? What happened? What about my parents? What is it about me that I can't remember?" She pleaded.

"You left your memories in the Spirit World," he whispered, talking more to himself, "You must have. Humans couldn't forget something like that."

"Forget _what_?"

He stared hard at her, eyes softening, despite a sort of conflict that was shown within the depths of his rich eyes. "Six years ago, Chihiro, you lost time, didn't you?"

"Yes," she nodded vigorously, despite her wariness. "Tell me what happened…please."

"There's so much to tell," he smiled sadly. "Meet me tomorrow night. At the park you and your friend had been."

"What?" She started, "How did you-"

"I've been watching you," he admitted, head bowing, long dark bangs wafting across his eyes. "I was always waiting for the chance to speak to you. When you were so far away, it was difficult. I could only manipulate your human devices, and that was draining."

"Further away? You mean from the river?" At his nod, she said, "you-you really are the Kohaku River?"

"I am the spirit of the river. Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi."

"And you called me on the phone?"

"If that is what you call it, yes."

"I can't believe this." She murmured. "But I feel like I don't have a choice."

"Chihiro," he said her name with such feeling, she wondered if it was her name at all. "If you desire your memories, then I will do everything in my power to help you recover them. I know you can't recognize me, that I am a stranger to you now, but please remember this; I'm your friend."

_I've heard that before, _Her mind whispered. _My friend. He's not lying. Not at all._

"Tomorrow, at midnight if you can, meet me in the park." He looked upon her, something else in his eyes that she had trouble naming. "You're tired."

"A little," she admitted. "But I don't see how I'll ever be able to sleep, now."

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Don't worry. Go, before you worry the people who may awaken to find you're not there."

Chihiro nodded, watching him out of the corner of her eyes, still wary, as she made her way past him, towards the house. She turned around at the door, expecting him to have disappeared, but he hadn't. He was watching her, as though making sure she was inside, safe and secure.

When she had climbed into bed, her body trembled having caught up with the magnitude of what transpired. She was still afraid, unsure of what was going on, and she knew she would be awake for the rest of the night with this feeling. That was until the mysterious shadow crept across her room again, and her eyelids abruptly grew heavy. A feeling of calm washed over her, and she gave in, unable to resist the pull into the place where her mind and body could rest.

The place where she would see green and blue.

"_And remember, I'm your friend."_

* * *

There. Haku is in! YAY! Well, not as grand an entrance as I would have liked, but I couldn't think of a way to bring him in without some sort of cliché. Sorry if it was a little too subtle. Anyway,I was sitting around at work one day, and I drew a couple pictures of Haku and Chihiro as I see them in the story. And, uh, if anyone wants to see them, let me know? Heheh.eh.. Well now, to the loverly reviewers!

**Lady-Seoh-Pheonix:** I guess I needed that push. Haha, thanks. I really do like your lyrics, though. Very poetic. Well, I'll try and update as best I can.

**LadyRainStarDragon: **I'm kind of scared of the bathroom now. Oh, hell, I'm scared of just being in my room at night! That sounds childish, yes, but I overcome that fear by hugging my Sesshoumaru plushie (a nice gift from a buddy) and knowing that a large cardboard likeness of Dante from Devil May Cry (a nice gift from Game Crazy because I bug the crap outta them) guards my room. I am not brave enough for adventure. Hahaha.

**Sakurablossomskxk: **Haku made it! Was it okay? Do you think it was too…I dunno, "bleh"? Ah… well, it IS nearly two in the morning, and I have work tomorrow. Damn. Oh well. Thanks for the review! Heehee!

**Miyazaki's biiotch: **Hello, there, Miyazaki's biiotch. I tried not to take long, so there is Haku, in all his sexyness. Surly, he'll spice up the story!

**trigger happy bibliophile: **Really? What name? Aw, thanks so much for reading and reviewing! I'm happy you like it! It keeps me plugging along, you know?


	6. Voices Upon the Wind

Okay, not updating in two months in inexcusable. I completely understand this. But I will feed you guys excuses anyway; work, sleep, and trying to put myself through college. The Art Institute of CA, actually. What a pain. I want to do animation! This is quite difficult when you're damn poor, though. ANYWAY…yeah. I've also been drinking this magical stuff called SPORTea. It's GREAT! I swear to you, I guzzle it down a gallon a day (it comes in quart tea bags). I stretch'em. I can use one bag for two quarts. The downside to this stuff is the urgent need to pee every five minutes. It's worth it, though. My skin is looking FAB-U-LOUS!

**Disclaimer: **Okay…After I break through those nuisance-y FDA members and take over the Earth as well as the rest of the galaxy, THEN we'll see who owns Spirited Away. Nyhahaha…

* * *

"I'm not sick."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not!"

"Dammit, Chihiro," Minako made a gesture as though she were reaching out to choke her friend, "You're acting really, _really_ weird!"

"How so?" Chihiro feigned ignorance.

"You slept like the dead."

"I was _tired. _Yesterday was a bit long."

"You didn't finish the Okonomiyaki my dad made."

"There was too much of it."

"You don't want to go shopping with me."

"I'm broke."

Minako made a frustrated growl rumble in her throat. "You're not depressed, are you? You seemed happy _yesterday_." She folded her arms in front of herself. "If only I had known you'd come all the way here only to get yourself _sick_—"

"I'm not sick."

"—What am I thinking? I should at least bring up some tea for you! Stay right here, Chihiro, I'll be right back!"

Minako rushed out of the room, leaving Chihiro sitting up in her bed, blinking. Rubbing sleep from her eyes, she yawned, listening to Minako's footsteps thump down the stairs.

She really wasn't sick. She felt groggy, yes, but not sick. She had slept in until ten o' clock, waking only because of Minako's incessant shaking. She had dragged Chihiro downstairs for breakfast, but the poor girl was far too heavy-eyed, drowsily giving her all to _not_ tumble down the stairs. After many attempts of finishing the last half of her meal, she calmly gave up and clambered back up to bed.

Where she slept another three hours.

There were many reasons she had come up with as to why sleep had come so easily—and why it had lasted so long. One of those reasons being that she had woken up and remembered her dream. It wasn't a fleeting vision, nor was it like some sort of distant memory encased in a feeling that was barely recognizable—it was an actual dream. She could think about it after she had wandered back to consciousness; the images, the movement, the sounds.

She hadn't remembered a dream since she was ten years old.

It was a very strange dream, certainly remaining in the same ballpark as every other event that had been occurring as of late. She dreamt of a river that she had never before seen, only felt. She stood upon its banks, waiting for someone, but not knowing whom. She waited there for many people, yet no one came. And as she waited, though the name had never been spoken, she knew it was the Kohaku River.

The trees had been lush and green, but tinted in an orange glow. The setting sun's last rays of light fought against the darkness of the shadows and twinkled against the water.

Chihiro had known that night would come soon, and for some reason, it brought a dread as cold as death to grip her heart. Then Minako shook her awake.

It was a very strange dream, as mentioned before.

Her thoughts quickly turned to the young man from last night.

That meeting had not been a dream, she knew. He was inhuman, otherworldly, but not unearthly.

_Was he really a spirit?_ Chihiro's head filled with doubt again. She found herself to be sure of nothing as of late. She had felt nothing that could be considered deceit, and though human emotions may not have the ability to pick up every vibe of truth or lie, there was something entirely honest about him.

But there were secrets.

Confused, Chihiro dug her face into her palms, willing away her thoughts.

Eventually, the day began to drone on to 'normal.' Minako scurried back up the stairs with a mug of steaming, flowery scented tea in her hands, and Chihiro downed it in nearly two gulps. A shower and some non-flashy clothes later, the two hit the shopping malls.

It was strange, to say the least. Walking around a place you hadn't been to in years was an odd feeling. She felt as though she had been cast out, and was now looking back in at what her life used to be like, except with different paint jobs and updated technology. Things used to be simple; not necessarily on the outside, but the inside as well. For example, meeting spirits didn't happen much as a child. She didn't always feel out of place. She didn't always feel an important chunk of her was missing.

The slight feeling of alienation began to creep on her when Minako spotted two friends in one of the clothing departments. The three of them smiled and laughed, talked animatedly with each other, and Minako happily introduced Chihiro to them. They were nice enough, both females of a material nature. They were excellent in fashion trends; something Chihiro admired, but she grew shy and avoided spotlight among them as the now group of four traversed the polished tiled floor plans of the mall.

Chihiro purchased a jacket. There was nothing special about it; not too long, not too short, blue, denim, a pocket here and there. For some reason, it had been the only thing she wanted. It was a small buy compared to the bulging bags of her companions.

Who, by the way, smoked. She wasn't alarmed by that, but she wasn't thrilled either. They had gone to a sidewalk of benches when one of them, Aika, lit one up.

"You don't mind, do you? Here, I'll sit where the wind isn't breezing by you." Aika had said, though there really was no wind to speak of. She had then pulled out a cheap looking lighter, flicking it a few times before grumbling. "Damn piece of…"

Flick, flick, flick…

"Can you see if you can get this for me?" She asked of Chihiro, who was half listening to the conversation the other two girls were having.

"Oh… Sure." She took the lighter.

Flick, flick, flick.

Funny. There was plenty of fluid in there.

Flick, flick, flick…

A spark flashed for but a moment, immediately followed by a great _**WHOOSH** _of a burstingflame. Aika shrieked and lunged away, ditching her cigarette. Chihiro dropped the lighter, tripping backwards and landing on her bottom, eyes wide in shock. The moment she had released the lighter, however, the flame left the sky, dying away.

The girls stared at the hazardous peice for a while as it lied on the ground. Aika's friend, Nanase, began to laugh loudly.

Aika's head shot towards her. "What the hell are you laughing about? I nearly got my face burnt off!"

"Hardly!" Nanase waved it off, "You're fine. That thing just malfunctioned a little. You should'a heard yourself scream, though, it was priceless!"

The indignant look never left Aika's face as she settled back on the bench. "That was a near death experience. I quit. I'm never smoking again."

"Are you okay, Chihiro?"

Chihiro blinked. "Uh… Yeah. I think I'll throw this away, though." She lifted herself from the ground, gravel digging into the sweaty palm of her hand as she cautiously picked up the lighter with her other. She meandered to the nearest trashcan, tossing it away.

The day had then droned on. Aika, true to her word, had not touched a cigarette for the rest of the day (at least. The next day may be debatable).

They were to split ways at the park upon sunset.

Mention or thought of the park brought two feelings to Chihiro. The feeling of a childhood game of tag, and the feeling of the young man she had met last night. Now why was that? Could her memory be so screwed up that she couldn't remember all of what they had talked about last night?

The three girls beside her laughed loudly at something she failed to hear. She cracked a smile, halfheartedly pretending to have listened; paying more attention to the lovely way the sun bathed the concrete in orange. She finally lifted her head after a nudge in the ribs.

"Time to split up and head home, Chihiro." Minako said with an air of untroubled conduct.

Chihiro peered past Minako towards Aika and Nanase, both smiling over a day well spent- despite the fiery incident. She was about to tell them that she had fun, that she was happy to meet them, until her eyes managed to see a little further in perspective. Namely a rather high bar on the park's playground; Or who was sitting atop it.

How far away did one have to be in order to _not_ notice such green eyes?

The other girls noticed Chihiro's distracted gaze, turning their heads to see what was so interesting. They searched blankly. "Chihiro? What is it? What are you looking at?"

She blanched. "Y-you…You guys don't see him?"

They exchanged quizzical expressions. "See who?"

From the distance, Chihiro could easily feel his gaze lingering upon her, without care to anyone else around. She looked hard passed the girls, and for a moment she saw a small twinge at the corner of his mouth. He was smiling?

It then became apparent that only she could possibly see him, and he had obviously made that so.

She also realized that he was waiting for her.

_Tomorrow, at midnight if you can, meet me in the park._

A hand on her shouldered caused her thoughts to shatter. She saw Minako out the corner of her eye, waving her other hand towards home. Minako's home, anyway.

"Sorry, guys," Minako said, the cheeriness flooding back into her voice. "Chihiro has just been a little sick lately, you know?"

Chihiro was quiet, finding no bite within her to start an argument.

The other girl's puzzled expressions danced from their faces, replaced with sympathetic smiles. "No problem. We understand. Take care of yourself, Chihiro."

"Yeah, don't overdo it. It was great meeting you!"

Chihiro managed a pseudo grin. "Yeah, it was nice meeting you guys, too."

They finished bidding goodbyes, Minako's arm slung around Chihiro's shoulders as they walked home. She managed to take a quick glance at the strange fellow whose eyes followed her as she walked away. He jumped gracefully from the bar, disappearing completely in a soft swirl of blue before his feet even touched the ground.

Chihiro resisted sucking in a breath.

The rest of the night went by in a blur. Minako's father had made a lovely dinner, the two girls watched a romantic comedy (to which Chihiro couldn't possibly pay good attention to), and were soon brushing their teeth before going to bed.

But when all the lights went out and all the occupants of the home were safe in their sheets, a pale moon was raised bright in the sky. Chihiro did not sleep that night.

The clock on the nightstand kept track of seconds and minutes ticking by. Eleven fifty-one changed into eleven fifty-two.

Chihiro warred within herself, despite knowing what the outcome would be. She knew she would crumble, walk out that door, and find herself in that park.

With an angry sigh, she did just that.

It took exactly seven minutes for her to jog her way to the park. She slowed down, when she spotted him on the swings. She approached, feet crunching quietly upon the sand as she was quickly becoming mesmerized with the way the young man swung back and forth, standing straight rather than sitting. He held the chains lightly as the rest of his body moved fluidly and assuredly with the motion. The strips that fell from ties of his belt wafted along behind him as he leaped forward in near slow motion from the swing when he saw her approach. He landed elegantly before her.

"You came." He breathed the words as though relieved.

"Because…" Chihiro found herself fighting for her voice, "Because I think I believe you. That you're a spirit."

He smiled then, albeit a touch of sadness.

"What should I call you?" Chihiro asked, "The same name as the river?"

"Haku is fine."

She nodded, realizing that she had nothing to say. Well, she had plenty to say, but the words wouldn't form properly in order to voice them. Then there was the whole matter of where to begin.

"Come sit with me." He gestured toward the swings. Reluctantly, Chihiro did so as she kept her eyes on him, still wary.

She sat on one of the swings, feeling oddly self-conscious as he took the one beside her. He began to swing gently, as though lost in thought. Confused and anxious about saying the first words to ignite conversation, Chihiro began to sway back and forth as well. She watched him from the corner of her eye as he tilted his head back towards the stars.

He appeared far too peaceful. It was growing on her nerves. How could he look so calm, while the insides of her were tearing her mind to pieces? She slowed to a stop.

"Why were you calling me?" She asked in a voice that sounded more confident than it really was.

Haku eased still. Slowly, he turned towards her, seeming unsure of how to put together his words.

"How do you know me?" she continued, ignoring what looked like a wince, "What do you know _about_ me? What happened six years ago?"

He remained silent for a long, agonizing moment, then, "…I did not expect this."

"Expect _what_? How can you not expect-"

"No. This." He gestured toward her. "I did not think that I would find you this way. Without your memories… How can I say what I've been wanting to say, if you can't remember me?"

"Then explain it to me." She said simply.

"That isn't good enough."

"Then why am I here…wasting my time?" Her voice lowered when she said that as she turned her gaze away. Not out of disappointment, but out of the guilt she felt when she said it. His eyes had shifted, and she had seen his whole body tense. He got up from the swing, turning to face her.

She looked up at him, and for a moment, her breath caught. He stared down at her, green eyes boring deep, black hair framing a pale face in wisps, and the whole of the vast night sky threatening to rain stars upon them.

He reached out one slender, yet powerful hand.

"Come with me. I'll show you where you had once been."

She could only take in shallow breathes of air.

"If you come with me… maybe, just maybe, you'll remember. Chihiro…this is all I can think of to offer you."

Vaguely, she shook her head. "No…"

"Please."

Where would he take her? What was the strange look in his eyes? Why was her resolve crumbling so easily beneath his jeweled gaze?

A slight breeze picked up, and Chihiro could only hear the sound of the wind accompany the quick drum of her heart. Her ears throbbed as a bead of sweat formed on her temple. What exactly was she so frightened of?

Haku's eyes burned again before appearing to fade out. His hand shook, and Chihiro knew that he would allow it to drop to his side. She could tell he would allow her time to think, but she had wasted enough time.

She had wasted six years.

With newfound tenacity, Chihiro's hand lifted before he could withdrawal, and she wrapped her fingers around his own.

It only took a roguish (and yet jubilant) smile on his part for her to realize what she had decided: she was going to be whisked away to God-knows-where with a completely familiar stranger. The thought sunk in within a mere moment when his cool hand came up and wrapped securely around her wrist.

Within the next moment, she was soaring across the ground—far too fast for her feet to touch the land, yet she never stumbled. Before her, Haku's dark hair was whipping behind him as he flew, and she could feel the enchanting energy radiate from him as he revealed the spiritual entity that he was. They were moving so swiftly; everything around them became a blur—like a snapshot of rapid, free flowing rivers.

Chihiro's breath was lost in the wind.

Before she had time to regain herself, Haku, who had been pulling her to a world she had once known, disappeared in a whirl of white, blue, and green, the colors swirling and breaking to create a glowing, sharp contrast against the inky blue sky. Her eyes widened in realization that without him, such momentum would only cause her to crash against the solid ground if she hit nothing else first. She shut her eyes tightly.

Only but an inch before Chihiro's foot touched ground, something came up fast behind her and swept her feet out from beneath her. She could do nothing but grab hold of whatever it was, clinging tightly to what felt like cool scales and a long, soft mane. She moved her legs around it, trying to sit a little easier as she felt the creature beneath her ascend the midnight skies.

Though the wind lashed her hair about, Chihiro squinted her eyes open as much as she could. Her heart gave a lurch inside her chest upon seeing the sky so much closer than before.

Then there was the beautiful white dragon she had made herself comfortable upon.

"H-Haku…!" She realized it was he as she cried his name, wind stealing it away.

A pair of long, slightly curved horns protruded from his head from beneath waves of soft hair. Chihiro braved scooting up as carefully as she could in order to take hold of them, seeing as they might be more reliable than the mane.

Her hands circled the two horns, and as they did, a barrage of visions flooded into her so quickly she hardly had enough thought to breathe.

_Drowning in the river…and then saved by the river._

_Falling to a doom…saved by a dragon._

_Flying home…returning a gift. _

"_Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi!"_

_A torrent of disappearing scales._

_The wind._

_A hand._

_A tear._

_A friend._

Chihiro's breath became erratic. She couldn't make out the images. She couldn't recognize them. She couldn't understand the feeling and story behind what should have been memories flooding back to hole up inside of her heart. Without those, they were no better than mere mirages. Only one feeling, one person, she could distinguish.

She reveled in the nostalgic embrace as she realized they were heading in the direction of the mountains that enclosed the Kohaku River.

She and Haku had been friends.

* * *

.

I have to tell you guys some exciting news! Who knows who Bruce Campbell is? Yes, yes? You all know him, right? Evil Dead/ Army of Darkness? Well, he was doing a book signing for 'Make Love! The Bruce Campbell Way' in Sacramento, which is less than an hour's drive from here. My sis took me, and I got that book, including If Chins Could Kill both signed by him! I like, sat next to him! And talked to him! I MET BRUCE CAMPBELL! Heeheehee!

**Tai'sGirl345: **Thank you!

**Lady-Seoh-Pheonix:** As sad as it is, it's fun to write. Sucks to be her I guess, except that she gets her very own Haku. Grr…

**LadyRainStarDragon: **Why yes we shall! If all goes according to plan, anyway…

**Platinum Wind: **SQUEE! No way! You have crazy character torture/glomping dreams too? WHOO-HOO!

**KatzEye:** I'm happy his introduction wasn't awful! What's awful is that I didn't update this asap….

**Dragon's Hitokiri:** Oooh! You want to see pictures? Heehee…I only have one now…something happened to the others. There's one of Haku I doodled at work, which is posted on (yes, I joined the bandwagon). Name's Kabashka. Thank you for showing interest!

**Gdgirl993: **I think I'll make her suffer a little longer. .

**Krillball: **Nyahaha! Character emotional torture is ALWAYS a horribly good thing, isn't it? Making Haku a sad S.O.B. would give him drive to totally make Chihiro remember him. And a Haku with drive is SEXY!

**White dragon lady:** Welcome and thank you! I cannot reveal what happens next. Not until I take out my little notebook and figure it out for myself, kyaha! I've no plans to discontinue this story! That can either be good or bad…

**BrightHeart: **Thank you! I quite enjoy suspense, too!

**Lucy McGonagle: **No…YOU rock. This will hopefully become a decently executed adventure/romance fic. Hopefully. Rock on.

**Trigger Happy Bibliophile: **It makes me happy to know that Haku's entrance was okay. Thank you so much! I like making Chihiro get those funky memory things. I don't want her to remember everything in one go, you know? Gotta mess with'em a little…hehehe…

**Teh NEZUMI: **:looks around suspiciously: Are you laughing at my disclaimer? Go ahead! Take it lightly! My Death Star (cheaply made of cardboard, but no one needs to know that), will rise one day. You'll see! Ahaha! Anyway, thank you. I'm really flattered that you considered this as one of the best fics you've read. There's a picture of Haku on my MySpace page. Yeah…I swallowed and got one. If ya can't beat the trends, join'em! The name is Kabashka!

**Rakasha's Sparks: **Ehheeheehee…Yeah. Nothing better than messing with the characters. I'll jerk Chihiro around for a few more chapters. Heheheh….

**Ruyn: **Thank you so much! Is this chapter good enough to keep you waiting for the next!

Until we meet again! And drink your SPORTea!

Kabashka


	7. Chihiro Was Here'

I'm about to kill myself if the valley's heat wave doesn't do it first. Seriously. Lots of things, good and bad have been going down here, bad things possibly due to the fact that we are walking on the surface of the sun. I now live in my friend's pool while temperatures hit 108. I did get to go sailing with my sister, dad, and his wife in the San Francisco bay, though. There's nothing more awesome than passing under the bay bridge and then sailing along right outside the City. I got some mad sunburn on my head, though. Ouchiezzzz… And everyone! Gambling is bad! I lost ten dollars at the Rancheria! Grrr….

Oh, yeah! Someone actually added my Inuyasha fic to a C2 community! I don't know who, but it was quite flattering! Heehee…joy…

**Disclaimer: **I totally own the scones I snagged from the office that shares our suite. Haha…they didn't suspect it was little ol' me! What that has to do with Spirited Away, I have no idea. But I don't own that lovely movie. I'll own Howl though. Yummier than a scone he is.

* * *

.

The power of G-forces, combined with high altitudes and torrents of strong, human emotions can be difficult to take in all at once. For Chihiro, effects were the need to pop her ears, followed by faintness.

Chihiro twitched, not in the mood to open her eyes when she felt the sun shine on her. She mumbled something about Minako leaving the curtains open as she rolled onto her stomach, pulling the covers over her head in a sleepy state. She yawned.

The sound of a door sliding open was tuned out as she went back into a light doze. Footsteps treading softly across a polished wooden floor grew closer to her, causing the girl to awaken slightly, just enough to let her know that someone had entered the room. Probably Minako. Chihiro sighed softly, relaxing again as she tried to go back to sleep.

"You've been out for a night and a day, yet you still wish to sleep?"

That woke her up.

Eyes snapping open, Chihiro instantly saw the familiar face from the night before. She sat up quickly, flinging the covers from her body. "Wha…?"

"Calm down! Chihiro, don't sit up so fast, you'll-"

"Ugh…"

Haku put a steady hand on her shoulder. "You're so jumpy."

Chihiro put her hands over her eyes, half rubbing away a headache and half hoping that when she removed her palms, everything around her would return to normal. Wishful thinking. After digging the balls of her palms into her gritty eyes, Chihiro looked up.

Haku, with his bright green eyes, smiled at her. "Hi."

"Oh, man…" Chihiro groaned, covering her face again. "Where did you take me…?"

"The bathhouse."

Chihiro looked up, surprised. "Oh… really? The one on Okina Street? I thought that was tor-"

"In the Spirit World."

"…."

"Chihiro?"

"Um… W-what?"

"Are you alright?"

There were not a whole lot of violent bones in Chihiro's body, but for a moment, one in her hand twitched to whack Haku in the head. How did he expect her to react to this situation? Did he not notice? Or care? How could he sit there so calmly after she had been greeted by a spirit-turned-dragon, fainted, and awoke to a world filled with…spirits?

Yet he seemed observational.

He also seemed caring.

But…

The temper in her died out quickly, drowned by exhaustion.

"I…I'm fine. I was just thinking," she looked around the room for a moment. Large sliding glass doors nearly covered a whole wall in front of her, while the rest of the room was wooden and bare besides the barrage of drawers behind her. It was spacious, but not exceedingly so. "So…spirits, huh?"

"Yes."

Haku was still kneeling quietly beside her as if expectant. Chihiro didn't have a clue as to what she was supposed to do or say, so she bit her lip and looked around a little more, wondering what lay beyond the balcony outside of the door. Haku finally took the moment to speak.

"Everyone is asleep right now, but I'm sure Rin wouldn't mind waking up to see you again."

"Again?" Chihiro sat a little straighter, suddenly keyed up. "Have I met her before? When I was ten?"

Haku nodded. "You knew many. You worked here."

"I… wha…?" Her face scrunched up. "I worked here? Are you sure?"

Standing up, Haku yawned, clearly tired. "You did. But let's talk about that later. You need food, and then you can rest more. By nightfall, I'll show you around a bit more and…introduce you to the inhabitants."

Chihiro clumsily rose to her feet, shifting around in the clothes she had slept in (thankful that they were _her_ clothes). "Why at night?"

"Spirits sleep during the day. Come on. Explanations shouldn't be given on empty stomachs."

He led her out into a hall through a rice paper door. The place was eerily quiet, only the sounds of their footsteps thumping through the halls as he guided her. She marveled at the sheer structure of the building, wondering how many floors it had. She was also quite taken by the intricate quality of the rail posts, the reds and golds in the paint, and the ancient looking murals decorating the doors and walls. She even found herself strangely fascinated by the lift as they went down, staring at the wall gliding quickly past. _I'd sure hate to lose my nose getting too close to that, _she found herself thinking.

Passing by countless dividers, Chihiro had noticed many large, rather extravagant tubs. Some built into the floors, some not. She wondered how the baths were heated and where the water came from; she hadn't seen a single facet or the like, and it was doubtful that such baths were filled with buckets.

She followed Haku in a very déjà vu sort of fog. It crept in on her head, and would soon leave just as quickly.

Haku ushered her through another painted door. "I'm sorry I didn't bring food up to you. My magic is a little spent from the dealings in your human world, and I thought that maybe after such a long sleep, you'd…"

"…Want to stretch my legs a bit?"

He looked a little sheepish. "Yeah."

"That's nice of you. My legs do feel a little wobbly." When Haku turned sharply towards her with worry clear on his face, she laughed a little. "No, no….I do need to work them a little after sleeping, so this is good."

He settled back down.

They came out the front of the building. Walking from beneath decorated eaves, Chihiro couldn't help but stare at the gates, the bridge set before the bathhouse, and the vast ocean that lay beyond and around. A small basket was set on the bridge, and Haku took her hand as they walked to it.

"Let's eat on the bridge, if that's okay with you?" He asked, easing himself onto the polished wood. Chihiro nodded, sitting down as well and sticking her legs over the edge so that she could look over the water. Haku handed her a bowl of rice from the basket.

"Where did the food come from?" she asked.

"I asked one of the vendors to bring some here."

Vendors? Chihiro looked past the bridge, down wide stone stairs that led beneath strings of festive, unlit lanterns. They lined corridors of booths that were how long, she didn't know, but the smell of traditional dishes lingered in the air and made her mouth water. She wouldn't admit it though, as she sniffed her bowl of rice dubiously.

"It's not poisoned, Chihiro." Haku said, slightly amused.

She looked at him, and he offered her a smile to ensure that what he said was so. It was really all she needed to begin digging into the bowl. When small clumps of rice became unsatisfactory, she tipped and scooped, chopsticks clanking against the bowl as she ignored everything around her but the savory taste.

Then the rumbling sound of a train speeding along its iron tracks was heard, a horn and bell rung twice in the air. Chihiro finished her food, quickly setting aside her bowl and looking over the rail to see the train go by as it left countless ripples of water in its wake. She hadn't even noticed the tracks below the shallow strip of water. Her heart began to hurt again when more familiar feelings cried out. "Was I on that train?" she asked Haku, who hadn't touched a single bite of food.

His eyes followed the ripples until they disappeared. "Yes. Once."

"Where was I going?"

Shrug. "To see a witch at her home."

Chihiro scrunched her nose and drew her eyebrows up in confusion. "Why would I go see a witch? Aren't most of them evil?"

Haku appeared distant. "You were brave. Especially for a ten year old kid," he said that, smiling slightly, "But I never would have thought you'd go so far only to save-"

Chihiro was paying eager attention, and she nodded along in encouragement for Haku to continue, but he did not. His expression turned to one of sadness, changing to one of a cold, unfeeling countenance, until he settled to a smiling indifference. Chihiro was confused. "What? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he shook his head, "I was just thinking of something. It was a real long time ago. We all really missed you."

He was changing the subject, she knew it but she let it be, deciding that a later grilling might do. Besides, she had not the energy to provoke, pry, or plunder. "We were friends, right? I felt it. When you were a dragon- I mean – that was you, wasn't it?" at his nod, she continued, "It felt so familiar. Like a name I had been trying to remember and it was right on the tip of my tongue. I couldn't remember, but I felt it. And I saw a bunch of images in my head, too, but I'm not sure what was going on in them. I think they were supposed to be memories, but…"

Haku waited patiently with heartened eyes as Chihiro fought to piece her wording together.

"But there was nothing to connect what I felt. It was more like watching a T.V. rather than having the feeling I had really been there."

"But you say you felt _something._" Haku said. "What was it?"

"Us. We were friends, but that was all I could discern from the images. I don't know what they were."

Chihiro could see Haku struggle with himself. She knew he wanted to ask her more questions, and why he chose not to, she couldn't tell. He sighed quietly, smiling a little. "So… You don't remember me, but you would trust me?"

Chihiro felt alarmed by that somehow. "I…well, I don't know. I don't think it would be sensible to trust you based on…feelings." She scratched the back of her head. "No offense or anything…"

Haku let out a laugh. "You've really changed! What happened to the reckless girl who ran on the edge of her heart?"

"Sensibility?"

He smiled in humor, but it was almost plainly obvious that he was still sad. Actually, the only time he did appear genuinely happy was the first time she could remember laying eyes on him. When he believed her to remember him. After that, it was a thin veil of pretend that he tried, unsuccessfully, to guard himself with, and Chihiro wondered just how much pain he hid beneath it, if it really was due to her. The thought was uneasy, but it could be shaken off for the moment.

Besides, Haku was staring at her. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, thinking that maybe her manners really did need brushing up.

Stare.

Uncomfortably, "Ah…W-what?" She observed herself as well and quickly as she could, wiping her mouth again. "Is there something on my face?"

His eyes widened, barely, as he realized what he was doing. Chihiro figured he was just dazing off. "No, nothing. Sorry, I didn't mean to stare, but…" he covered his mouth, taken suddenly by a wide yawn. His eyes drooped a little as he turned back towards the water, leaning his arms against the railing and plopping his head upon them. He let out a long, deep sigh almost as if he were going to yawn again. Eyes closing instead, his breathing began to even out until he eventually became horribly still.

He fell asleep.

_Completely out of the blue!_ Chihiro thought, quite surprised by this. "Hey. Um…are you really sleeping?" She asked, leaning towards him. Indeed he was, for he did not stir nor flutter an eyelash. "Wow. Dead to the world. Er…worlds."

It was fairly obvious that the young man was wiped out, so Chihiro wasn't fond of the idea of shaking him to death. But to fall asleep in the middle of a sentence seemed a very strange thing to do, and she imagined it would be quite an inconvenience. Not only that, but she was left on a small bridge in front of the bathhouse without a single idea as to what she should be doing. Wake him? Go back inside? The thought of going home was suddenly appealing, but she realized that she had no clue as to which way home was.

Chihiro looked back over the ocean, back to Haku, and repeated the action again.

"Um… Hey." She said a little louder than the last, reaching out an arm to nudge him and receiving no response. "Geez, you act like you haven't slept in days."

It didn't entirely occur to her that, maybe, he really hadn't slept in days.

"What am I supposed to do now?" she muttered, looking around and half hoping for help to arrive.

He looked horribly peaceful and neutral. He wasn't happy or sad, worried or upset. Chihiro still felt a little too distant from him to feel the obligation of waking him, or perhaps it was a kinder side of her that wanted to let him sleep. Whatever the case, it didn't change the situation. Instead, Chihiro was dawned upon the idea of exploration.

Abandoning both food and dragon, Chihiro found herself descending stone steps and wandering into a long row of booths. They were traditional in style, unlit paper lanterns adding to an old amusement park theme. It smelled of fresh, delicious, hot, food, many of which she couldn't describe, but none she would have had the backbone of trying. It wasn't long until she noticed steam seep from under the canopies and over the tables.

As she strolled past a particular booth, she noticed plates stacked high with oddly strange looking food, mostly meats. She imagined her mother and father sitting there, eating to their heart's content. The thought troubled her, creeping her out just as much as the wafting shadows gliding slowly back and forth around her were. It was amazing how quickly the brightness of day could drown, and that perhaps there was no season in this world, that summer could not exist and make the days grow long. Or bakingly hot, but that was far from her mind.

Some of the shadows surrounded her, growing darker as the day lost vibrancy. Twisting hands reached for her until her feet finally began to inch away. Cringing and scared, she ran back towards the way she had come, avoiding running into or _through_ the shadowy spirits, tripping and stumbling on her own feet, the smells of food that could possibly feign true human sustenance assaulted her nose as she breathed. She stopped at the steps, happy she hadn't gotten lost. At the bridge though, Haku was nowhere to be seen.

Until she felt a firm grip on her wrist.

She jumped and spun, ready to flee until she realized it was only Haku, very awake and very crossed between relief, worry, and anger. She assumed the latter was towards herself. "Why didn't you wake me?" he asked in a way that didn't expect an answer, then to himself, "I can't believe I hadn't realized how late it grew. How could I have just fallen to sleep like that?"

He continued to grumble, pulling Chihiro along across the bridge until she felt like being angry right back. "It's not _my_ fault you took a nap! I tried to wake you up, but you slept like a log."

He turned to look at her, his face suddenly platonic.

"What was I supposed to do? And what are those things-" she gestured towards the booths, "-demons or something? I want out of here!"

There was a quick look of panic that crossed his face, but he covered it well. "They are no demons. Only spirits. I wouldn't put you in harm's way."

"But you'd fly me a couple hundred feet in the air?"

He didn't drop her hand, but the hold tightened and he pulled a bit more. "If you want to argue, let's do so inside. And if you still want to leave," he looked at her meaningfully, "then I'm afraid I'm lacking energy. I can only sleep before then."

Chihiro didn't say much, preferring to glare holes into him. Honestly, she really couldn't understand why she was feeling so mad, and decided that maybe she was just tired as well. They rushed into the bathhouse as the sun set, just before the moment when day and night were both and neither one.

"I'll explain what I can." Haku said.

Chihiro just wanted to go back to sleep.

* * *

.

Haku isn't narcotic. Haha. He's just horribly drained.

You know, there's always this feeling of being unsatisfied every time I post. I always think, "I know I can do better than _that!_" But if I actually sat down to fix it, another month would go by. I guess I'm real lazy like that, huh?

Wahh….I'm so tired. It's one o' clock in the morning! I'm too old for this 'staying up late' thing. I housesat for my boss a couple weeks ago for one week. It's a big house, so it was really scary when I stayed up late playing a horror video game! There was also this air conditioner that boomed when it came on, so I ended up calling my sister at midnight out of fear. I got over it eventually, though. I switched to playing Musashi which took like, a day. So then I played Stella Deus. A week of video games and good air conditioning! Ahh! I should have been the one paying!

**Lady Moon Dragon**:Ehehe, well, I'm attempting my own style. So far so good I suppose. Thanks a lot for the encouragement; I'll take it to heart!

**Lady-Seoh-Pheonix**:I totally saw Howl's Moving Castle. My sister and I had to travel many miles to see it, but it was worth the anger of getting lost. Dude, Howl was a sexy animated man, eh? Not only that, but Christian Bale is so totally awesome! Have you seen the Machinist?

**Jaded Illusion**:eats cookies: Ahh. You are kind. I want Chihiro to struggle with the memory thing, but I'm afraid the chapters are becoming redundant. Hopefully, I can get a move on with the story direction. At least I made it this far though… Hehe, thank you so much for the review! I really appreciate it!

**Woman of the Dunedain**:I'm happy to you liked that. I had been worried it was a little iffy. Thanks for the review, and I absolutely LOVE your name. Awesome.

**Trigger Happy Bibliophile**:I think I may have a problem with giving Chihiro original friends. I'm worried about the bringing in of original characters. I've planned a few, mostly male because I think readers tend to find them not only less threatening (mary-sues scare the strong to their graves), and one or two may serve to make Haku protective/jealous. Which we like. And yeah, they said love in the movie, but due to age, I don't think Chihiro could have realized something like that. Especially not six years later. Besides, I like long romances! And a mysterious/dreamy Haku is, c'mon, SEXY! Nyaahahah!

**Star Fire Kagome**:I try to update sooner. But, you see, I'm such a looozer. Hehehe, thanks for the review though!

**Darkness Dweller**:Oooh, "enchanting"! Heehee! What a lovely word to hear! I'm happy you think so, and I really, really appreciate the kind review. I've got no intentions of stopping, but I did think about taking a break to start a Fullmetal Alchemist AU fic. The idea hit me in a crazy dream.

**Wish Wielder**:Yeah. I really dislike cigarettes and all that. The smell makes me sick, and when one person lights up, dozens of people around that person are "smoking" as well. I once read a funny sign about that and standing on a chair, peeing on people…um, that didn't make sense. I wish I could remember what that sign said! And ah well…myspace ain't that great anyway. But it was awfully nice of you to look.

**Angharad23**:Well written, eh? Why thank you! I shall certainly try to continue! Your review has fed my belly! (used to not realize how much reviews are like food to an author. Quite tasty.)

**Gdgirl1993**:Yeah, suffering sucks. Where can I join the club? We'll snap open the beer and get RIPPED together, eh? Whoo!


	8. Remembering my Own Name

A/N: Alrighty! This really isn't much, mostly just Chihiro's re-introduction to the characters. She's a confused, boggled, tired, and shocked young gal, so go easy on'er. I'm afraid OOC-ness might be bounding about. After this chapter though, I think maybe I can shell out the real plot for this story. Anyway, I went camping not long ago, slept in a hammock, and had the _craziest_ dream! How would YOU feel if Dante from DMC was chillin' with your sister? (thank god he wasn't wearing that nipple-holding device from DMC 3. Am I the only one that has a problem with that thing? It looks like he escaped from some crazy fangirl's bondage table!)

**Disclaimer**: Spirited Away and Dante's nipple-holding strap are not mine.

* * *

...

Chihiro could not sleep. After the frightening shapes that hovered about her, after Haku had quickly guided her back to her room, Chihiro was told to rest for just a little while. Until after the sun was well drowned.

She sat on the balcony instead, watching an ornate, fiery-lit ferry gliding across the water like a floating fallen star. The decks of the boat nicely alternating with glowing candles (she assumed they were candles) of red and yellow. The black water glimmered.

Steam had been rising as the world was waking. Smoke from the boilers puffed out above, while the steam from the baths brought along with it the smell of ancient cuisine, which didn't make Chihiro feel any better. She wasn't hungry – she felt more like getting rid of what was in her stomach rather than stuffing it with more. She sighed, drawing her knees up and slapping her forehead against the railing. She felt horribly alone, almost in a prison like sense. She felt locked in this room, never to go out again.

She listened to muffled voices coming from outside.

None were Haku's.

_Ridiculous_, she thought. _I won't be a prisoner! _

With new found resolve, Chihiro stomped up with a loud _thump_ against the deck, turned on her heels, and marched to the door, leaving the balcony wide open. She planned on slamming the hall door open, to add emphasis that she was not happy, but meekness found her first. She slid it open quietly, sticking her head out in the hallway before stepping out. She had gotten to the elevator when it opened and a slightly plump, black haired woman came out, sniffed, looked up, and gawked at Chihiro.

"A _human!_" She spat, eyes narrowed.

"Uh?" Chihiro took a step back. Funny, the woman looked human enough. "Well…yeah. Is that a bad thing?"

"Trash! Garbage!" The woman yelled. A couple other doors opened, and a few more women in similar, pink cleaning outfits stumbled out having been getting up for work. There were rubbing their eyes, complaining of commotion. They sniffed.

'_Do I smell that bad?'_ Chihiro wondered, wanting to raise an arm and check for herself. She sniffed the collar of her shirt instead. '_No, not really.'_

"Human!"

"There's a _human! _Everyone!"

"A human girl!"

They suddenly crowded her, many of them,poking her, some murmuring amongst themselves, others outright yelling at her, picking on her. "Should we take her to Yubaba?" One of them asked.

"That's too horrible!"

"She'd be turned into a goat! Or a pig!"

"We can't take her to Yubaba! Remember Sen?"

"Sen…?" Chihiro furrowed her brow. _Yubaba…?_

"The _last _human that was here! The one that got away from Yubaba!"

The commotion started up again, and Chihiro couldn't tell whether they were friendly or not, but she was scared nonetheless. When she felt either arm being grabbed and pulled at, one in each direction, she decided to shake them off. She managed, somehow, due to the fact that she had broken into a sweat and slid away by the skin on her arms, but it still took some good shoving effort on her part to get through the crowd. They pulled at her clothes as she stumbled through, gaining her feet back and sprinting away to the elevator where she forced the door closed and pushed the lever. She didn't care which way it went, so long as it moved.

She wondered if the only thing she would be doing in this crazy place would be running.

She had slipped onto the floor as it descended downward, making Chihiro feel just that much more sickly. _I should have stayed put. In that damned cell. _

The elevator came to a slow stop. The door slid open, and Chihiro was greeted with the sight of bustling, barefoot workers as they served baths full of strange creatures. Some looked like ducks, others like fish, many more like many other animals, and some didn't resemble anything she had ever seen in her life. Hastily, Chihiro pulled the lever, making a face, not caring which way the lift ran.

It went sharply upwards. Chihiro sighed in relief as it shot passed the hall where the spirit women had pulled and shouted at her, but it opened in another room where she could see over a wide railed inside balcony that looked over some of the lower floors. Peeking to her right, Chihiro found herself being stared at by a catfish looking man and another woman, both jaws dropped. To her left, masked shadows were being led by another worker, who had also noticed Chihiro. She gawked at her as well.

Chihiro could hear it coming a mile away as they gained some sense back just in time to shout some angry words, "human!" among them. By the time their fingers were pointing, Chihiro had clamped herself into another lift, and was shooting to the top of the building.

She realized just how stupid the whole thing was, and suddenly felt like air. Her situation, real as it seemed, was becoming more dreamlike by the second. Like she wasn't really there, only looking at herself, wondering when the light at the end of the tunnel would come crashing through the darkness. When the hell would she wake up?

Of course, for a girl who hadn't dreamt since she was ten, found that maybe this was what a dream was really like.

That was ridiculous though. It was real, but Chihiro could not feel the validity sink in.

The elevator came to a gentle stop, leaving Chihiro with no choice but to walk timidly out into a dark, ornate hallway. The painted vases were as tall as she, and would have compared had they not been cast in deep shadows. At this point, Chihiro decided she had made enough mistakes. The first being whatever she had done –or gone, rather- six years ago.

Thump, thump, thump.

Chihiro halted, slowly looking around her, wishing for more light.

_Thump, thump, thump._

"Ah…Hello…?" Chihiro called, unsurely, backing toward the abused elevator.

_Thump, thump, thump. _The sounds grew increasingly louder.

Thump, doh, um, thump, thump, dom, thump.

Visibility became apparent, and Chihiro wasn't sure whether or not to be surprised by three heads rolling and hopping around, what with all the other crazy things she had been seeing. Their wide, white eyes rolled numbly at her, and she stared right back, thinking of nothing, other than the fact that there were three heads, coming about to jump around her.

Where were their bodies?

Thump, dom, don, oof, thump.

They didn't make any intelligible noises, but they alternated in coming around her and attempting to push her further down the hall. Chihiro also noticed that they were green. Not that that was anything weirder than being disembodied heads or anything…

They continued to thump and dom and um their way to the end of the hall, passing through a large, deeply dark wooden door with a gold knocker decoration. Chihiro found the old crone it was sculpted of very unnerving, and even more so when it started cackling, saying something like, "Well, look what the cat dragged in! Or should I say dragon?"

Chihiro could feel every hair on her head stand straight up. _Where is Haku? _She thought desperately, forgetting for the moment that she barely knew him, and that it was her heart talking. _I wish he were here right now…Why didn't I listen to him?_

Swallowing her fear as well as she could, Chihiro pushed along with the heads through another set of doors, agonizingly slow.

"I haven't got all day. Are you coming in or no?" Said a craggly, old voice of an ancient woman. As soon as the words were said, Chihiro felt an overbearing push and nearly fell through the doors flat on her face. She stumbled through and caught herself.

The room was large but cozy, if rather a bit sumptuous. A large desk sat intimidating against a wall, windows behind it, but no one sat there.

"Ahem." An impatient cough. Chihiro turned to a giant fireplace, two wing backed chairs before it, and in one of them was an old woman.

Wrinkles covered her on white, leathery skin, powdered with layers of makeup and blue eye shadow. Her white hair was pulled taut into a bun, and she held a cup of what was probably tea (but could have easily been something as grotesque as blood), with weathered hands weighed down by gold and jeweled rings. The look she gave Chihiro was not meant to ease her – it appeared too indifferent. Completely unidentifiable.

"If you came up here, you might as well sit. You'll never see _me_ this hospitable again," the crone grated.

Chihiro hesitated as the green thumping heads turned skulls and left to sit in a corner somewhere. Eventually, she moved and found herself easing into on the chairs across the old, witchy looking woman. They were not close enough at all to be considered a friendly distance. Chihiro stayed quiet, wondering who she was, alternating her gaze from the fire to the woman.

Eventually, her patience seemed to run thin. "Haven't you anything to say to me, Sen?" she said curtly.

Chihiro jumped at the tone, then realize what name it was the woman had just given her. She tried to smile, managing just barely. "Um…I think that maybe you have the wrong per- uh_, human_." Chihiro said, as politely as she could manage. "My name is Chihiro."

For some reason, this angered the old woman. "Chihiro, Sen, it doesn't matter! You cost my bathhouse a great sum of money in damages – and then you had the nerve to up and leave like you did!"

Chihiro's mind was reeling, trying to figure out what she could say in her, or Sen's, defense.

"And to think I let you off with a measly test! You get off Scot-free and then you come back here, without a thing to say to me? You really haven't changed from that spoiled, pathetic brat, have you, Sen?"

"Why do you keep calling me 'Sen'…?" Chihiro murmured. She didn't understand how she could keep herself so quiet. She felt angry and confused, sick by the thought that perhaps the old lady really was referring to her by 'Sen.' As if it really had been her name once. If it had, she couldn't remember it, nor could she recall any damages someone as small as herself could cause to such a luxurious bathhouse. And one that belonged to spirits no less! "Who…Who is Sen?" Chihiro looked at the woman, wanting her to realize that her memories were shrouded. "I can't remember. I don't remember you, or Haku, or this…place."

The old woman studied her for a bit, a funny look on her face as she stared hard, searching for any sign of deceit. She 'hmphed,' turning her head away toward the fire place, her large nose glinting orange. "I know your name is Chihiro," she said finally, speaking in a more reserved tone. "I know because I stole it once. I left you with the name of 'Sen.' You can thank _Haku_," she spat his name like acid, "for giving your name back to you."

"He saved my name?" Chihiro said, interested that they were now speaking of the pasts she had come to learn of in the first place.

"And you gave his back as well. In doing so, you took away my only apprentice."

She wondered about that. Haku was apprenticed to this old woman? For what reasons? "I…I'm sorry," Chihiro mumbled, not sure of what else to say. "But, I mean, shouldn't everyone get to keep their own name?"

The old woman laughed at this, but not cruelly so. "It was six years ago. I suppose there isn't much I can do about it anymore, but I've been unable to steal names ever since."

Chihiro couldn't tell if the tone of voice used meant that the old woman couldn't steal names by her own accord. As menacing as she seemed, there had to be some speck of goodness in her. "Are you really angry with me?" Chihiro asked, scared, but keeping the emotion in check. If she were to be mangled, it would have been done by now. "Because I'm really sorry for whatever damages I did, but I am happy to have my own name."

"I suppose it suits you better anyway." The woman grumbled, "I don't think I have the energy to be angry with you these days, but I still regret having not tricked you properly."

Chihiro didn't have a clue as to what this 'trick' was, but it indicated that she'd best watch out for what the old lady may have in store for the future.

"You truly remember nothing," the woman continued, "And to think, I'm not even taking advantage of it." She paused again, taking a sip of her tea as she listened for something. Her ears pricked up, eyes slyly lowering towards the door and lingering there before turning back to the fire. "It seems the dragon has found you."

No more than half a moment after the words left her lips did the doors burst violently open, a wild eyed and ruffled Haku flying through without a single tumble. His eyes took in the room quickly, and they seemed to look twice at Chihiro, who had near snapped her neck after whipping around so quickly.

"_Yubaba!_" Haku glowered at the old woman as she sat surprisingly calm.

'So this is Yubaba…' Chihiro stared. Something panged within her mind.  
She's the witch who rules the bathhouse. 

"How rude of you," the old woman, Yubaba, said testily if not a bit pseudo dramatic, "Uninvited and causing such a _racket_ while an old woman is merely trying to have a conversation."

"Conversation!" Haku spat, "You're a contemptible witch bent on trickery!"

"And you're a deceiving, spiteful dragon who sees nothing but the past!"

Haku narrowed his eyes at the witch as he bristled. Chihiro avoided any sort of stepping in and instead stared at the door longingly when Haku suddenly appeared at her side. "She didn't offer you anything, did she? A contract? Did you sign anything?" he asked briskly, obviously wanting to be out of the presence of Yubaba as quickly as possible.

Chihiro shook her head. "No, nothing. We were just talking."

Yubaba scoffed loudly as Haku sighed in relief. "Contracts." She muttered. "I haven't stolen a name in six years, Haku. You, more than anyone, are well aware of that."

"While you can no longer rob identities, I doubt you would show reserve when it comes to swindling." He threw that over his shoulder as he took Chihiro's arm, wanting her to follow him out.

Confused, she wanted out of that room just as much as Haku, but Yubaba was revealing Chihiro's past, if not enigmatically so. That was something that sort of bothered her, actually. She came to this world, not quite knowing where she would end up, in order to seek answers. And as she asked questions and revealed her interest and lack of memory, the answers and explanations received were bewildering, and not only were they confusing, but there was always some sort of confounded interruption.

"Can no longer rob identities?" the witch stood up, looking horribly angry, "I don't steal by my _own_ accord!"

"Ever since Chihiro and I left. Now that she's back, what kind of revenge would you bestow upon her?"

The witch seethed, the dragon pulled and glared, and the pulled human became quite fed up. She shook off the dragon's hand, which he in turn glanced at her with something to say, but she cut him off.

"I _hate_ this place!" She cried. Opening her mouth to shout again, she shut it, then she started up again. "I thought that maybe I'd find a piece of myself, but all I find are bickering little kids!" She tried standing a little straighter, though unsure of her words. "I don't know what happened six years ago. I have small ideas; I don't know the details, but however bad it was, it sounds like you-" Chihiro gestured to Yubaba, looking the old woman in her heavily shadowed eye, "-redeemed yourself. Or something like that. I mean, if you really wanted to do something horrible to me, wouldn't you have done it already? You knew I was here before I even set foot in this room, so…" Chihiro shrugged, as if by way of finishing her point.

Yubaba had little to grumble about, other than, "Don't be _too_ sure of yourself." Though there didn't seem to be any heart behind it.

"And _you,_" Chihiro turned on Haku, and with much less verbosity, said, "Why did you bring me here?"

There was a heavy silence in the air.

Haku was tensing, appearing rather uncomfortable, glancing back and forth between Chihiro and Yubaba. It was painfully obvious that he didn't wish to speak his answer in front of the witch. His teeth began to grind, his fists clenched, and he stared hard at Chihiro, who recognized the fact that maybe her question would invoke more answers than she bargained for within him. He made it clearly evident that he would not be willing to share that with anyone else.

After a couple more painful moments, Chihiro relented in leaving the room, right after she told Yubaba that she would be willing to speak with her another time. Strong disapproval showed in Haku's eyes, but he said nothing.

It was terribly quite as Chihiro and Haku walked down the long hall to the lift. He walked in front of her, rendering her unable to see his facial expression, but she assumed he was angry or something along those lines. His back seemed knotted up, shoulders stiff, and his silence was most unnerving.

It wasn't until they were in the elevator that Chihiro swallowed the strange fear she had of him. "You're mad at me."

At that, his shoulders drooped slightly. "No. I'm not angry with you."

"Then why are you so quiet?" bugged Chihiro. "You should really tell me why everyone hates me so much."

"They don't hate you," he began, receiving a very unconvincing look from her. "They…dislike humans a bit, but they always have. It was you, Sen, who became an exception."

"They don't recognize me."

"They will. Just…stay by me, alright?"

Haku was seeming to be a reserved sort of person. Chihiro was beginning to notice that he kept quite a lot to himself, vying not to say too much other than what needed to be said. However, she also saw that he had been wanting to mention or discuss other things to her but he held back. That was her take, at least, and it bothered her. Or, she thought it was bothering her. She decided that she didn't particularly know him well enough to be bothered by his own strange silences, but that she was troubled that he was bothered, for whatever reason.

My, how confusing.

The elevator stopped and the door opened, revealing the bathhouse quite busier than it was when Chihiro darted for the top floor. Haku began walking out, but stopped upon noticing Chihiro's discomfort. Quietly, he took her hand, which for some reason made her feel at least ten times safer than she ever had, so she followed him out.

The stares were swift but not long lasting with Haku around. This made Chihiro wonder just how powerful he really was.

Not sure where he was leading her, she just glanced at the people who stepped aside of his path. The floorboards were hard, but damp with the hot, humid bath air; stuffy, but cleanly so. They slowed when approaching a hard working spirit woman who was adamantly scrubbing the inside of a tub built into the floor. She was bent at an awkward position, clearly a bad example of ergonomics, but she was fit.

"Rin." Haku called next to her.

She either ignored him or didn't hear him as she continued to scrub, pushing back long dark hair from her face. She halted only in attempt to tie it up.

"Rin!" Haku made himself slightly louder. She jumped.

"What the hell do you-" she stopped talking as she turned her head to him, automatically studying Chihiro at his side. She stared, squinted her eyes, leaned forward just slightly.

Chihiro waited for it to come. She waited for a crude finger pointing, a _'human! Ew! What do we do with it?' _sort of display, but it never came. Instead the woman smiled hugely, grinning, full pink lips reaching her eyes as she stood straight up.

"Sen!" She cried wildly, and Chihiro found herself crushed in a giant hug. "Sen! No, Chihiro! Oh, I thought I would never see you again, I can't believe your back, you little _dope_!"

Well, being called a dope was uncalled for, but Chihiro supposed it was meant to be endearing. She managed to glimpse over the woman's shoulder at Haku, who shrugged and smiled broadly, gesturing around them.

Indeed, all around them spirits were staring, but not the kind of detested or shocked glares she had received earlier. They were bright and laughing, accompanied with lots of commotion, whispering, and loud exclamations.

"Sen!"

"Sen is back!"

"Look! She's grown!

"I can't believe I didn't recognize her!"

"Che, I knew it was her all along!"

There was laughter and cheer as Chihiro was released from her death hold. She felt tugs on her hands from both Haku and Rin as they guided her away from the circling crowd. Rin had instantly grabbed someone to cover her during her absence.

Rather than a lift, they went downward on many flights of stairs, floorboards creaking beneath them.

"Oh, Sen, It's been too long." Rin said when the three were alone.

"I suppose so," said Chihiro uncertainly. "But…"

"It's such a _shame_ that you don't remember anything!" She continued, "But we'll fix that, I'm sure. Just a little bit of time here, and maybe you can exchange that human smell of yours for your memories, eh?" She laughed in a teasing but good-naturedly sort of way. Chihiro forced a rather weak laugh.

Haku didn't even smile, tense as he was. Rin pretended not to notice the hard look he was giving her, the kind that said he had to speak with her about something _very_ important. Chihiro assumed it was about herself, but she didn't let on.

"C'mon!" Rin said with as much excitement as her first greeting as they rushed into a warm hall. "Kamaji can't _wait_ to see how you're doing!"

"Kamaji?"

"The boiler man!"

As if that really helped Chihiro understand anything. She hadn't a clue who Kamaji was, other than the fact that he was a boiler man.

Which didn't explain why she had befriended a boiler man.

"Don't worry," Haku said quietly beside her as Rin walked up ahead. "He's an old spirit who doesn't get many visitors, but he sort of thought of you as a granddaughter when you were around."

Chihiro didn't know what to say to that. If she remembered who this 'Kamaji' was, she might have been happy, but she felt flattered instead – and there was quite a difference.

Rin kneeled on the floor, sliding a small door open. Chihiro almost banged her head on the top of the wall, but caught herself as she slipped inside and getting a hot blast of air against her face. It was quite bearable, though, somehow matching the sounds of clanking and wheels turning. On top of the seat rigged with gears and those rickety wheels sat an old man, surly Kamaji, and all of his arms.

Because he certainly had more than two.

No stranger than three bouncing, thumping, green heads, Chihiro supposed.

He pulled on levers above his head, extended unnaturally long arms to high drawers in the wall, turned wheels under his seat, and drank water from a kettle. Simultaneously. He paused as Chihiro got over her shock, and he grinned beneath a bushy moustache. Rin gave her a nudge, and not to be rude, Chihiro approached him. He leaned down slightly.

"If it isn't really Sen, all grown up and clueless as ever." He said in a very grandfatherly tone. "Haku told Rin, Rin told me," he explained when she gave him a funny look. "My name's Kamaji, if a new introduction would make you feel better."

To Chihiro's surprise, it did make her feel a little better. Almost instantly, she felt at ease around this spidery man, and she was thankful for the warm heart he was showing her. Though Rin and even Haku were welcoming, Chihiro felt too much of an outsider; hearing them speak and having not a clue as to what they were speaking of. She bowed low in a sort of gratefulness to Kamaji, and said, "My name's Chihiro, Sir. It's nice to meet you…" as an after thought, she added, "…again."

He laughed at that for some reason, then turned his bald head toward Haku who sat against the drawers, and Rin who leaned against the walls, looking haughty with her arms crossed over her chest. "I appreciate the two of you bringing Se- _Chihiro_, down here for me. It's been too long."

"Thank Rin," said Haku, "Chihiro needs rest. And she just had a run-in with Yubaba."

"_Yubaba_?" both Kamaji and Rin echoed. The latter continued, "What the hell happened? Yubaba's not known for her trickery these days, but if Chihiro showed up at her door…"

"Was she really that evil?" Chihiro wondered aloud.

"She nearly fed your parents to the bathhouse guests as breakfast. If _that's_ not evil, I don't know what is!"

"Rin!" Haku admonished.

Chihiro turned pale, feeling oddly reminded of the booths that smelled of fine traditional dishes. What the hell happened to her parents?

"They were turned into pigs, for eating the food of the spirits," Haku said when he saw her turn white, "It won't happen to you, don't worry. And since your parents are fine now, I wouldn't dwell on it too much."

Rin snorted from her corner of the room while Chihiro nodded absent-mindedly, no less white than before. _Okay_, she said to herself, _Perhaps Yubaba really _was_ that evil_.

"Nevertheless," Kamaji said from his post above them, "It would be wise to keep an eye on Yubaba, Haku."

"I know. I'll do my best."

"Do you live here?" Chihiro asked, watching out of the corner of her eye as Rin walked over to the edge of the deck by the ground of the room.

Haku shook his head. "My home is the river now. It flows between here and the human world, which is just how I brought you here."

Chihiro thought about that for a moment. "You… brought me here through the river?"

"Through the cave in the mountain that released my river."

Rin seemed to be playing with little soot-balls that clinged to her hand, squeaking a little. It was very strange that the soot had arms and legs and eyes. Some of them noticed Chihiro, and hysterically waved to her. How very odd, which was actually quite normal. They fell from Rin's hand as she put them back down, dusting herself on the apron around her waist. "Haku is a guest here; a very long staying, over-imposing, overbearing guest."

"Who, admit it, has gotten Yubaba to lighten the work load."

"And he always orders the most expensive bath water…" Kamaji grumbled as though Haku weren't even there.

Chihiro finally felt herself smile, lips twisting in the attempt not to. Haku was looking indignant until the girl ended up yawning, hands covering her mouth sleepily.

"Seems I'm not the only one that's exhausted," he said, frowning a little. "We should take our leave, I think, else I'll be falling all over the place."

"I guess I am kinda' sleepy," Chihiro realized, feeling an ache in her joints as she stood up and joined Haku at the small door. "But you'll have to lead me back to those rooms. I don't remember how to get there."

The chinks of wood sounded above, and Kamaji grumbled. "The work never ends at this time of night. Sleep well, Sen, Haku. We should certainly talk next time you decide to come pay a visit."

"I'm taking advantage of this break," Rin waved, "Night' you two. See you later. And I'm glad your back, Sen."

_It would be better if I could remember being here the first time, but hey…_ Chihiro bowed as Haku went out first. She followed after him, finally managing to smack her head against the wall first. Embarrassed, she slid the door shut, listening to Rin bark with laughter and a, "Nothing changes, I tell you!"

Goodness, it was going to be a long night. Or day.

Well, it would certainly be confusing.

* * *

.

There. Intros are almost complete, we've seen character interaction, and I feel the need to hole up in a dark corner and try to figure everything out. I've got a whole lot of plans for this, so many that I'm already tying myself up in knots with the fear of creating a gazillion plot holes. Distraction is NOT foreign to me. And I'll try to keep the OOC under control! Zeniba (I settled on a spelling decision) and her pals will show up soon, as well as Yubaba's tub-o-love offspring.

Oh, and I would greatly appreciate any constructive criticism you have to offer. I really want to improve myself, and outside views are more than welcome. All the reviews I've received are flattering and heartwarming, and I want to thank you guys so much for taking the time!

**Wish Wielder**:A narcotic Haku… :Pictures Haku passing out over a bowl of cereal: Oohohoho. That was a good chuckle! Well, I hope I can keep up this "better" that you speak of. With such kind reviews like yours, I'll certainly try!

**Sake-Is-Yummy**:I love Xovers! Oh, man, I would totally love to see Haku and Howl duke it out. That would be awesome. And if magic were restricted, I can see them completely bitch fight! (Not unlike Hugh Grant and Colin Firth in the second Bridget Jones' Diary movie…Ohoohoho!) Thanks for the review…I'll be giggling with that image now…

**Lady-Seoh-Pheonix**:The Machinist is far from childish, if you wanna tell your ma that… hehe. Anyway, you could always read the HMC book if you haven't already. My sister ordered it at Barnes and Noble, small paperback only like, seven bucks. It was a GREAT read! Very fun, good break from serious novels!

**Trigger Happy Bibliophile**:Well, there they are! (give or take a few.) I have to admit, when I first ventured into the SP category, I was a little sad that some people portrayed Yubaba as purely evil and psychotic. I didn't think she was so horrible – I think she could redeem herself. Maybe I'm just talking outta my ass, who knows? But I'll try not to stray far from the characters!

**Ange Noir**:Really, your first SP fic? And it ended up being _mine_? Oh, dearest me, welcome to the Happy, Happy, Insane Spirited Away/HakuxChihiro Fanfic Community! I'm happy, elated, and flattered that you read and reviewed! It's people like you that give readers a good name…

**Miyazaki's biotch**:Welcome back. :looks creeped out: Thank you so for the praise! Miyazaki went… :points in opposite direction: …that way!

**Star Fire Kagome**:Thank you so much! I'll try to keep it good, I'm ecstatic that you liked it, I apologize for the wait, and I'll hopefully update soon! (I think it's nice that you're so straightforward with your reviews. Hell, it's nice that you reviewed!)

**Undying – Love**:Your review made my heart stop beating . It was truly touching, and one big burst of motivation! I don't feel like I have an appropriate response, really. Just this big bubble of happiness that is sitting in my heart right now! Thank you!

**CxHforever**:Thank you for claiming that I rock! Also, I'm sorry it's kinda confusing…I'm getting a little off my rocker, confusing myself, see? Long fanfics are a bit new to me, so it's hard trying to keep everything in order! If I get a bit offhand, don't hesitate to tell me so!

Till next time, yo's!

Kabashka


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